Chris Votek

Chris Votek is an acclaimed cellist, composer, arranger, producer, and sound engineer living and breathing music in Los Angeles. He is a student of the legendary Indian violinist Dr. N Rajam, much of his work involves adapting the oral tradition of Hindustani raga to the cello and the cross-pollination of Western and Indian Classical Traditions.

As an intercultural music translator he has arranged symphonic music with Neelamjit Dhillon for Ustad Zakir Hussain, notably his Triple Concerto for Tabla, Bansuri, and Sitar with orchestra premiered by the Symphony of India in 2023. Votek’s original chamber and electro-acoustic compositions have been presented at REDCAT, the Hammer Museum, Clockshop, and SF Soundbox. His string quintet Memories of a Shadow received critical acclaim “superbly blending raga melody with early European polyphony”.

A sought after touring and studio cellist, Votek has performed or recorded with Sigur Ros, The Marias, The Silk Road Ensemble, Chris Martin, Father John Misty, WildUp, Julia Holter, and many others. Votek is an active member of many world music and cross cultural ensembles. He is the principal cellist of Nabil Azzam’s Arabic Orchestra MESTO, a member of LA’s chamber orchestra of cultural diversity Bridge to Everywhere, and a collaborator with Iranian singers Homayoun Shajarian and Mamak Khadem.