Raphael Weinroth-Browne
cello, composer
Internationally renowned Canadian cellist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer, Raphael Weinroth-Browne has been celebrated for his emotive and virtuosic playing both on stage and in the studio.
Combining his classical cello training with a passion for progressive metal and Middle Eastern music, in 2013 he formed the cello/voice duo The Visit, whose otherworldly compositions earned them coveted slots at prestigious festivals such as Wave Gotik Treffen (Germany), 21C (Koerner Hall, Toronto), and the Cello Biennale Amsterdam (Netherlands).
In 2014, Raphael formed East-meets-West duo Kamancello. They have released three fully improvised albums that transcend the borders between Persian/Kurdish and Western classical music. In 2019, they performed their own concerto ‘Convergence Suite’ with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra to an enthusiastic sold out audience.
In 2016, Raphael was recruited by Norwegian progressive rock icons Leprous. His cello has since been featured prominently on their latest three albums; he has played over nearly 200 shows with them in Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
For over a decade, he has been composing music and playing cello in Musk Ox, whose acclaimed releases blur the line between classical chamber music, progressive rock, and dark folk. Their 2014 release Woodfall was named one of The Needle Drop’s Top 10 Canadian Albums of 2014.
Appearing on over 150 studio albums, including the Juno Award-winning Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light (Woods of Ypres), Raphael has also produced cello renditions of prog/metal songs that have been praised and reposted by Opeth, Steven Wilson, and Chris Adler (Lamb of God).
In 2020, Raphael’s debut solo album, Worlds Within — a 40-minute composition created entirely on cello — was released to critical acclaim.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Raphael released Worlds Within Live in 2021, a live rendition of the 2020 studio album, which led to performances of the material in Lisbon, Portugal and a highly successful collaboration with the Ottawa Dance Directive over four consecutive sold out nights. In early 2022, he toured extensively with Leprous, culminating in a performance at the legendary Royal Albert Hall. He will be appearing with the band later this year supporting Finnish cello metal heavyweights Apocalyptica.
