LIFE IN THE CELLO LANE
ILENE McHOLLAND has played music all of her life. She was born to musical parents, and grew up with music all around her. She started playing the Hammond organ when she was 3, and by the time she was 6, she was playing in her parents jazz band. At the age of 12, she started playing the cello, and, her Dad felt it appropriate to include the cello in his band.
Ilene continued her musical studies on the cello. She has a degree in Music from Belmont University. She has sat first chair in many orchestras, including Sacramento Youth Symphony, Brian Farnon Orchestra, Belmont Symphonic Orchestra, Vanderbilt Symphonic Orchestra, and others. Ilene has played with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and other top entertainers. She opened for the rock group Yes, and Alan Parsons Project, at Starwood Amphitheater, Nashville Tennessee. She has been recorded on hundreds of recordings, performed on Entertainment Tonite, and composed and performed movie soundtracks.
Even though classical music is the only musical direction that a cellist is offered, Ilene always has kept her roots alive by playing other styles of music on the cello. After many years of playing classical music, she decided to quit, and play the music she grew up with. Ilene loves all styles of music, and has made it her mission in life to “keep music alive” through performance. She loves to perform, and give people a chance to hear a cello in a “non cello” musical environment. She currently resides in Nijmegen, and is performing with her "CelloBlues" band the Freewheelers, and also as an electric soloist.
