Simon Updegraff is an American cellist and scholar whose early career reflects a combination of musical discipline, academic achievement, and community service. Born in 2006, he began playing the cello at just four years old and developed his abilities through years of intensive training in the Chicago area. By his teenage years, he had already earned competition recognition, performed with orchestras, and appeared on classical music programs.
Simon Updegraff’s Facts
| Fact | Details |
| Full Name | Simon Updegraff |
| Birth Year | 2006 |
| Birthplace | Chicago suburbs, Illinois, USA |
| Profession | Cellist and Scholar |
| Instrument | Cello |
| Started Cello | Age 4 |
| High School | New Trier Township High School |
| Early Music Training | Music Institute of Chicago Academy |
| Early Cello Teacher | Avi Friedlander |
| University | Indiana University |
| Music School | Jacobs School of Music |
| College Class | Class of 2029 |
| Scholarships | Wells Scholar and Krannert Trust Scholar |
| College Majors | Cello Performance and Applied Mathematics |
| College Cello Professor | Eric Kim |
| Major 2023 Achievement | Winner of the Chicago Chamber Music Festival Concerto Competition |
| Orchestral Performance | Soloist with the Northeastern Illinois University Orchestra |
| Media Appearance | WFMT’s Introductions |
| NPR Recognition | Finalist on From the Top |
| Chamber Ensemble | Trioscuro and Porphyrion String Quartet |
| Nonprofit | Co-founder of Musicians for Hope |
| Nonprofit Focus | Supporting under-resourced school music programs |
| Funds Raised | More than $48,000 by 2025 |
| Schools Supported | 12 Chicagoland schools |
| Current Status | Undergraduate student and active performer at Indiana University |
Early Life and Musical Education
Simon Updegraff grew up in the Chicago suburbs and was introduced to the cello at the age of four through Suzuki lessons. Starting so young gave him many years to develop technical control and musical maturity before reaching his teenage years.
During high school, Updegraff attended New Trier Township High School in Illinois while receiving specialized musical training through the Music Institute of Chicago Academy. He studied cello with Avi Friedlander, whose instruction became an important part of his development as a young performer.
The Music Institute of Chicago Academy is known for providing advanced training to talented young musicians, and Updegraff became a scholarship fellow during his teenage years. His progress there eventually led to appearances in youth orchestras, competitions, chamber ensembles, and solo performances.
His interests were not limited to music. At New Trier, he was involved in Scholastic Bowl and founded a Classical Music Club, demonstrating an academic and intellectual curiosity that later became part of his university studies.
Simon Updegraff’s Rise as a Young Cellist
Updegraff began attracting wider attention through a series of competition results and performances during his teenage years. He earned first-place honors in multiple cello divisions of the Society of American Musicians and received an Honorable Mention in the 2022 Walgreens National Concerto Competition.
A particularly important year came in 2023. Updegraff won the senior division of the Chicago Chamber Music Festival Concerto Competition. The victory gave him the opportunity to perform as a soloist with the Northeastern Illinois University Orchestra under conductor Ben Firer in October of that year.
His profile expanded further when WFMT, Chicago’s classical music radio station, featured him in a live performance in November 2023. At only 16, he performed works associated with composers including Elgar, Bach, and Bloch. Such appearances placed him in front of a broader classical music audience while reinforcing his reputation as an accomplished young cellist.
Updegraff also appeared in the Young Steinway series at Skokie Public Library and participated in the Suzuki Youth Orchestra of the Americas. His orchestral experience included serving as assistant principal cellist at the organization’s biennial conference.
Chamber Music and Competition Success
Although solo performances have been an important part of Updegraff’s development, chamber music has also played a significant role in his career. Chamber performance requires musicians to combine individual technical ability with careful listening, communication, and ensemble discipline.
His piano trio, Trioscuro, became a semifinalist in the 2024 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Fischoff is one of the major chamber music competitions in the United States, making the recognition an important achievement for a young ensemble.
Updegraff later performed with the Porphyrion String Quartet, which received a Bronze Medal at the 2025 St. Paul Chamber Music Competition. These experiences demonstrate that his musical development extends beyond solo cello playing into collaborative performance.
He also won the New Trier High School Concerto Competition during his senior year. Together, these accomplishments established a strong foundation for his transition from high school musician to collegiate performer.
Academic Path at Indiana University
After graduating from New Trier High School in 2024, Updegraff began a new chapter at Indiana University in fall 2025. He enrolled at the Jacobs School of Music as a Wells Scholar and Krannert Trust Scholar.
The Wells Scholarship is particularly significant because it reflects academic as well as extracurricular achievement. Updegraff was among the 13 students selected as Wells Scholars in his class of 2029.
At Indiana University, he is pursuing a double major in Cello Performance and Applied Mathematics. The combination illustrates the unusual breadth of his interests. While cello performance demands years of technical practice and artistic study, applied mathematics requires analytical reasoning and quantitative problem-solving.
His cello studies at Indiana University are under Professor Eric Kim. The university environment also provides opportunities to continue developing as both a performer and scholar while working with other musicians at an advanced level.
Musicians for Hope and Community Service
One of the most distinctive aspects of Simon Updegraff’s story is his involvement in music education advocacy. While still in high school, he helped co-found Musicians for Hope, a student-led nonprofit designed to support under-resourced school music programs.
The organization emerged from a group of young musicians who wanted to address disparities in access to music education. Updegraff and fellow students, including pianist Matthew Hahn and cellist Jan Vargas Nedvetsky, helped establish the initiative.
Musicians for Hope held its debut concert at Nichols Concert Hall in February 2024. The event raised $10,000 for John Lewis Middle School, where a substantial share of students were economically disadvantaged.
The organization subsequently expanded its fundraising efforts through concerts, matching campaigns, and partnerships connected with Chicago’s classical music community. By 2025, Musicians for Hope reported providing more than $48,000 in resources to 12 Chicagoland schools.
For Updegraff, the project adds another dimension to his musical career. Rather than viewing performance solely as a personal pursuit, his nonprofit work connects music with education and community opportunity.
Simon Updegraff’s Public Profile
Updegraff has maintained a growing public presence through performances, classical music coverage, and social media. His Instagram account, @simonupdegraff, has attracted more than 1,700 followers according to the information available for 2026, while performance videos have also appeared on YouTube.
His media appearances include WFMT’s Introductions program, while he was also a finalist on NPR’s From the Top, a nationally recognized platform for young classical musicians.
Simon Updegraff’s Future in Music
As of 2026, Simon Updegraff remains an undergraduate student at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music while continuing to perform and participate in music-related activities. His career is still in its early stages, making it difficult to predict where his professional path will ultimately lead.
His combination of advanced cello training, chamber music experience, academic interests, and nonprofit leadership nevertheless gives him a distinctive foundation. Whether his future develops primarily through performance, education, mathematics, arts leadership, or a combination of these fields, his early record suggests a musician with interests well beyond the traditional concert stage.
