Professional Cellist, Stephanie Knapper

Stephanie Knaper is a freelancing cellist from Blaine, MN. She received her Bachelor’s of Music Performance from Minnesota State University in Moorhead where she studied under Elise Nelson. During her time at MSUM, she was a finalist of the school's Concerto and Aria competition and earned the privilege to play the first movement of Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1, accompanied by the university's orchestra.
After college, Stephanie was then accepted into the master’s program at the Univeristy of Wisconsin in Madison where she studied under Parry Karp, the cellist from the Pro Arte Quartet. In addition to working on solo repertoire with Mr. Karp, she also was in various small ensembles and quartets which helped strengthen her skills as a quartet member.

Currently, Stephanie plays in the Mankato Symphony Orchestra and the Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra as a full time member and she is also a substitute cellist in the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra. Besides playing in various orchestras, she is also a member of a local video game quartet named the Bards Quartet.
Teaching cello lessons is another part of Stephanie’s musical journey. She currently teaches lessons at Blue Tree Music Education, Kramer School Of Music, City Strings and Piano and also her own private cello studio.
Stephanie currently plays on a 2023 Scott Cao copy of the Guadagnini cello model from 1777.

“I want my music to reach out to people and have them feel the music the way I do, because music changed my life”.

When playing a gig, I require a chair and if it’s an outside gig, I require some type of covering to protect my instrument from the sun and/or rain.
If it’s a big venue, I would recommend having me use a mic as my instrument is acoustic.