Dr. Martin Torch-Ishii is a cellist and educator involved in a wide variety of musical genres and projects.  Based in Ann Arbor, he not only is a member of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, but travels throughout the United States as rock cellist with the cello and percussion band, Break of Reality.  He also composes, arranges, and records music.  

In addition to maintaining an active performance schedule, Dr. Torch-Ishii is deeply committed to music education and currently teaches over twenty four cello students at his home studio in Ann Arbor, and at the Ann Arbor School for Performing Arts.  For two years he served on the string faculty at the Sphinx Preparatory Music Institute, a music program for underprivileged inner-city youth in Detroit.  Summer activities include teaching at the 5 Seasons Chamber Music Festival in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the Ann Arbor Cello Camp (which he co-created and co-directs), and the Break of Reality Cello Institute in Rochester, NY.

Dr. Torch-Ishii holds a Doctorate from The University of Michigan, Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from The Cleveland Institute of Music, and a Performers Certificate from The Toho School of Music in Japan.