Born in Australia and raised in both Melbourne and Belfast, Northern Ireland, Ceridwen McCooey is a New York–based cellist, composer, and vocalist. Her solo practice involves electronically looping layers of cello to create strong narratives with character development and emotional depth. Her debut EP The Conference of the Birds (2021) released on New York label Rhodium was loosely inspired by the 12th-century Persian poem by Farid ud-Din Attar. Ceridwen released her debut album Forget-Me-Nots, for solo cello, pedals and voice, in March 2026.
Ceridwen has been selected for composer development programs with notable contemporary ensembles such as The Australian Art Orchestra, Ensemble Offspring and the Flinders Quartet. In 2022 she was named a Dots and Loops Performance Fellow. Her solo work The Witch He Loved, based on the mythological figure Lilith, was commissioned for 3MBS’s Music, She Wrote festival and Arts Centre Melbourne. Later that year she was invited to curate a performance at Play On Music in Melbourne. Ceridwen has performed at festivals such as Pitch Music and Arts (Australia), Castlemaine Festival (Australia), Play On Music (Australia) and most recently The Centre at Park West's Evolution Festival (New York.)
She is a graduate of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music (Australia) and the New School’s College of Performing Arts (New York) and the recipient of a number of awards, including the Allan Zavod Performers’ Award (2019) and 3MBS The Talent Award (2022).
McCooey’s unique approach to music-making and story-telling has garnered critical acclaim, with her performances described as “clever,” “intrinsically interesting” and “poignant.” (Classikon 2023).
“Ceridwen is a remarkable cellist with a talent for transforming narratives into enchanting musical experiences” (Freedman Fellowship Awards 2023).
“With The Conference of the Birds Ceridwen McCooey contaminates classical music with electronic loops, highlighting the organic sounds of the cello, free to soar like birds” (Radioactiv, 2021).
“McCooey tells quite a story and creates an impressive variety of sounds.” (On the Fringes of Sound).
Forget-Me-Nots is a testament to McCooey’s boundary-pushing artistry and her ability to connect deeply with listeners across genres.
Ceridwen has been selected for composer development programs with notable contemporary ensembles such as The Australian Art Orchestra, Ensemble Offspring and the Flinders Quartet. In 2022 she was named a Dots and Loops Performance Fellow. Her solo work The Witch He Loved, based on the mythological figure Lilith, was commissioned for 3MBS’s Music, She Wrote festival and Arts Centre Melbourne. Later that year she was invited to curate a performance at Play On Music in Melbourne. Ceridwen has performed at festivals such as Pitch Music and Arts (Australia), Castlemaine Festival (Australia), Play On Music (Australia) and most recently The Centre at Park West's Evolution Festival (New York.)
She is a graduate of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music (Australia) and the New School’s College of Performing Arts (New York) and the recipient of a number of awards, including the Allan Zavod Performers’ Award (2019) and 3MBS The Talent Award (2022).
McCooey’s unique approach to music-making and story-telling has garnered critical acclaim, with her performances described as “clever,” “intrinsically interesting” and “poignant.” (Classikon 2023).
“Ceridwen is a remarkable cellist with a talent for transforming narratives into enchanting musical experiences” (Freedman Fellowship Awards 2023).
“With The Conference of the Birds Ceridwen McCooey contaminates classical music with electronic loops, highlighting the organic sounds of the cello, free to soar like birds” (Radioactiv, 2021).
“McCooey tells quite a story and creates an impressive variety of sounds.” (On the Fringes of Sound).
Forget-Me-Nots is a testament to McCooey’s boundary-pushing artistry and her ability to connect deeply with listeners across genres.