Frederick Chao, currently a member of the cello section of The Phoenix Symphony, was previously the associate principal cellist of the Honolulu Symphony. An avid chamber music enthusiast, he has been a member of the Delmar Trio, Stonybrook Trio and the Philharmonic String Quartet. Currently Fred is the cellist of Quartet Sabaku.

Chao received his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, where he was awarded the coveted Performers Certificate, and his master’s degree from The State University of New York at Stony Brook, where he was chosen to be a member of the Stony Brook Graduate Trio. He has studied cello performance with Janos Starker, Bernard Greenhouse, Gary Hoffman, Ronald Leonard, Frank Miller and Dudley Powers.

Chao and his wife, flutist Barbara Chao, enjoy performing flute and cello chamber works together. They spend their summers at the Masterworks Festival where Fred teaches cello and performs orchestral and chamber music.