John Walz
A founding member of the Pacific Trio, John has performed in countless concerts and has been featured on the soundtracks of numerous major motion pictures, building an extraordinary career both on stage and in the recording studio. Professional concert cellist John Walz shares how growing up gay became deeply intertwined with his love for music, making both inseparable parts of his identity.. Growing up in Pasadena as the artistic son of a football coach, he devoted himself to the cello from an early age before leaving for Europe to study with legendary cellist Pierre Fournier. Returning to California, John built an extraordinary career performing with hundreds of orchestras, touring extensively with the Pacific Trio, and playing on the scores of iconic films including Titanic, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, and Star Wars. He also reflects on body image and self-acceptance, and the nearly four decades he has shared with his husband, Jim. Now living in Palm Springs, John looks back on aging, love, and a life in which being gay and being a musician have remained inseparable parts of who he is.