The Last Time I
Saw Richard

(Joni Mitchell)

Joshua Roman, Cello

I met cellist Joshua Roman shortly after he moved to Seattle to be the youngest principal player in Seattle Symphony history. I was introduced to him by my friend Josef Krebs, an arts producer and classical music enthusiast who knew that this young man wanted to do things beyond the symphony.

Josh was twenty-two years old and lived monastically in a condo a few blocks from Benaroya Hall with his cello, a yoga mat, a chair, a music stand and the ingredients for making cookies. We would get together and play Jeff Buckley tunes. I introduced him to Prince and Joni Mitchell, and he got me into Radiohead in a deeper way.

Rehearsing with Josh for a Concert | 2017

We played art openings, theatre happenings and he played cello on my band We Are Golden’s EP. It was thrilling to collaborate with a classical artist—someone who played seven hours a day! Josh moved to NYC years ago, has gone on to a big classical-music soloist career, and tours around the world. He also has stayed very human as he lives with Long Covid, creating workshops and performances focusing on how vulnerability can help us create more meaningful connections in our art. I always knew Josh would not just be a classical music star; he was about so much more. I was thrilled to record one of our favorite arrangements of this Joni Mitchell classic while Josh was in town for his 15th and final season curating Town Music at Seattle’s Town Hall.