Cyrano Jett Rosentrater, composer

Meet Cyrano

Cyrano performs on Show 460.

Cyrano Jett Rosentrater (violin/composer), 17, creates authentic musical experiences. In a world where specialization is often expected, he has pursued multiple paths – each enriching his understanding of music. A Philadelphia native, he attends the Julia R. Masterman School, a Philadelphia public school. 

Cyrano is a Primavera Artist (’20-’25) and has received several grants, including the Marian Anderson Young Artists’ Grant (’18), the Peter Benoliel and Willo Carey Grant (’24), and the SPHINX MPower Grant (’22, ’24).

Cyrano participated in masterclasses with Hilary Hahn, David Kim, Sheryl Staples, Curtis Stewart, James M. Stephenson, Jessie Montgomery, Danielle Belen, Melissa White, Thomas Whitman and Dara Morales. He has attended music summer programs, including the Sphinx Performance Academy at Juilliard and Curtis, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Juilliard Summer Strings, Philadelphia International Music Festival, Interlochen, Kinhaven and the Dali Quartet International Music Festival.

Cyrano currently studies violin with Kimberly Fisher, Principal Second Violin of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Having studied classical violin for thirteen years, he is a 2025 Winner in YoungArts Classical Music/Violin, a semifinalist in the 2024 National Sphinx Competition for strings, the 2023-24 MTNA Pennsylvania Senior Performance String Division winner, First Prize in the Harmony for Peace Foundation Senior Strings Competition, and has served as concertmaster for various youth orchestras, most notably the National Pathways Festival Orchestra, Philadelphia All-City Orchestra (HS/MS), Musicopia, the All-City Summer Festival Orchestra at the Mann Center, the Philadelphia Young Musicians Orchestra and the Juilliard Sphinx Performance Academy Chamber Orchestra. 

In addition to his orchestral work, Cyrano has performed with several ensembles. He is the founding member of the Tres Voces Piano Trio and is the first violin in the Advanced-Study Ann Newman String Quartet, coached by William Polk of the Philadelphia Orchestra at the Settlement School of Music. Furthermore, he will be a concertmaster of the National Pathways Festival Orchestra in Chicago, IL (‘25), and was the Principal Second Violin in Nashville, TN (‘24). He is a member of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra and serves as a substitute for the DePue Brothers Band bluegrass ensemble on their “Christmas Grassical” tours (‘21,‘22,‘23).

A composition student of Thomas Weaver at the Philadelphia Curtis Institute of Music, Cyrano is a seasoned composer. Cyrano’s first serious pieces were written at the age of eight. Most recently, he received a commission to compose a piece for NYO-USA as an Apprentice Composer (‘25). He is a winner of the National Young Composers’ Challenge (‘24), an inaugural recipient of the Philadelphia All-City Ballet Music Fellowship (‘23), and the winner of the Tanglewood Opening Fanfare Call for Scores (‘23). Additionally, he is the winner of the American Composers’ Forum Solo Violin Call for Scores (‘22), first prize winner in the PMTA Keystone Composition Competition (‘24), third prize winner in the MTNA National Senior Composers’ Competition (‘23; State Winner ‘21-24), and a finalist in the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composers’ Awards. Finally, Cyrano is the first prize winner of the JW Pepper 70th Anniversary International Society for Music Education International Composer Competition (‘24).

Cyrano is also a pianist, studying piano and composition with Dr. Ariane Alexander for the past twelve years. He has participated in numerous South Jersey Music Teachers’ Association Piano Fall Festivals and juried recitals, consistently earning Superior and Gold Distinction ratings in Piano Performance (‘20, ‘21,‘22,‘23). He also studies voice and composition with Dr. Timothy Renner and is a Bass in his school choir. As a Musical Director/Arranger for his school’s SATB a cappella group, the Masterman Sweet Sixteen, he further showcases his versatility.

Outside of music, Cyrano enjoys reading and writing poetry, having earned a Scholastic Silver Key Award for his poetry (‘22). He has placed in the National Spanish Exam several times (‘21,’22,’23), having twice earned a silver medal for his proficiency (‘22,’23). Cyrano has also received the Spanish Department award (2023) and the Music Department award (2020) at his school. He is deeply grateful to the mentors who have guided him, including his first violin teacher, Scott Wagner, and his first composition teacher, Nina Wilkinson. Cyrano remains committed to “reaching the unreachable stars,” breaking barriers one note at a time.