Biography

Cellist Andres Sanchez-Linares, born in Allentown, Penn., began his cello studies at the age of eight years old under the wing of former Puerto Rico Symphony cello principal Miguel Rojas. He continued his studies with cellist Jesús Morales, member of the Dali Quartet and former principal of the Puerto Rico Symphony. At 10 years old, Andres made his solo debut at the Midwest Clinic of Chicago and the Ocean City Pops Orchestra. Three years later, he made his Carnegie Hall debut as soloist with the ArCoNet Chamber Orchestra and at age 16 was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with cellists Peter Wiley and Carter Brey. Following his graduation from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2020, he continued his studies at the New England Conservatory with Paul Katz.

In January 2026, Andres was named the First Prize Winner in the Senior Division of the National Sphinx Competition and, in 2025, was a Semifinalist in the Schoenfeld International Cello Competition.

Andres is an avid chamber musician, and his piano trio, the AYA Piano Trio, was awarded First Prize in the 2020 Yellow Springs Competition, First Prize in the 2018 WDAV Competition, and has been a Semifinalist in the Naumburg Foundation and the Chesapeake Chamber Music competitions.

Andres has made solo appearances with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Longwood Symphony, Kenneth Square Symphony, the Central Jersey Symphony, the Summit Symphony, Pennsylvania Sinfonia, and the Gabrieli Ensemble. As a member of the AYA Trio, he made his Beethoven Triple Concerto debut with the Waterbury Symphony and performed across the United States in esteemed chamber series such as Concerts International in Memphis, Tenn., the Schneider Concert series at the Mannes School of Music, the Brevard Music Center, Merkin Concert Hall, and Chamber Music Tulsa.