In this master class Peled explores Elgar's Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85, a cornerstone of the solo cello repertoire. Elgar composed it in the aftermath of the First World War, and he seems to have poured his pain and depression in the face of such terrible destruction into the work. Premiered in October 1919, the first performance's success was unfortunately limited due to insufficient rehearsal time (time eaten up by the other works in the program, conducted by Albert Coates), despite the presence of Elgar himself at the baton. The work finally became popular in the 1960s, when a recording by Jacqueline du Pré elevated the work to the level of masterpiece in the public's imagination. Since then, leading cellists like Pablo Casals, Paul Tortelier, and Yo-Yo Ma have performed and recorded the concerto.

From the United States to Europe to the Middle East and Asia, Peled is acclaimed as one of the most exciting instrumentalists on the concert stage today. A musician of profound artistry and charismatic stage presence, Peled often surprises audiences with the ways he breaks down barriers between performers and the public. Tim Smith of the Baltimore Sun reflected on a recent performance: “Peled did a lot of joking in remarks to the audience. His amiable and inviting personality is exactly the type everyone says we’ll need more of if classical music is to survive.” Peled performs on a 1733 Matteo Gofriller cello that formerly belonged to Pablo Casals, and has been loaned to him by the great cellist’s widow, Marta.