Russell Vance, Cello
By day, a biochemist hunting truths about bacteria. By night…a cellist.
Long before bacteria became part of his life, Russell Vance’s mom decided he should play cello. She and his sister played violin, and their dad valiantly tried to play viola for the family quartet. “I started with the Suzuki method, had lessons through college and played in high school orchestras. He also played in the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra and in summer music camps at the Banff Center for Arts and Creativity. (Russell was born in Boston, but his family moved to Vancouver when he was young.)
Russell went to Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, as a Biochemistry and Philosophy double major and played a concert with the Kingston Symphony (Beethoven’s 9th!). He came to UC Berkeley in 1995 to complete a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology (played principal cellist in the UC Berkeley Summer Orchestra), did a post doc at Harvard Medical School in Boston, and returned to UC Berkeley as a Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases. Specifically, running a research lab working on how the human body can better fight off bacterial diseases like tuberculosis and dysentery.
Like many of us, Russell got very busy with a career, marriage, kids—and the cello stayed in the closet for years. But then! “As an empty nester, I had more time and I wanted to go back to playing.” When he was a kid, Russell practiced the required hour or so, “but I didn’t really love it. Practicing was work. But now, I really love it! I’m very glad I did the work back then, so I can enjoy playing now.” (Hear that kids? Practice!) Russell found Prometheus, and “I’m sticking with it.” His cello is so pleased!
