Allen Whear is a graduate of the New England Conservatory and the Juilliard School. The recipient of an ITT International Fellowship, he studied with Anner Bijlsma in the Netherlands, and holds a Doctorate from Rutgers University. Allen is Artistic Director of Baltimore's Pro Musica Rara, one of America's oldest period instrument ensembles. He is Principal Cellist and Recital Director for the Carmel Bach Festival in California. Recent guest appearances include the Chautauqua Music Festival and Music in Context in Houston. He has performed as a soloist with the Philadelphia Classical Symphony, the Brandenburg Collegium and the Charleston Symphony. He has appeared with Musica Antiqua Köln, the Vienna Boys Choir, the Smithsonian Chamber Players and Aradia. His composition Short Story was commissioned and premiered by Tafelmusik in November 2006. He has given masterclasses at universities throughout Canada and the US. His recording credits include Sony, Virgin, Musical Heritage, Naxos and Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.