Nathaniel Rosen

He soon, however, began to branch out into the musical profession. While a student at the University of Southern California, he became a founding member and eventually principal cellist of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. He also studied with Laurence Lesser. By age 22, the same year he graduated from USC, he had also become Piatigorsky's assistant — a post he maintained for five years. In 1977, at the age of 30, he became principal cellist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as well, under André Previn.

Since 2011 he lives in Japan with his Japanese wife and daughters. In 2013 he has moved from Matsuyama to Yamanakako.

Although he was a finalist in the prestigious International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1966 at the age of 17, he returned in 1978 to win the Gold Medal, thrusting him into the forefront of the classical music circuit. It was however unlikely for an American candidate to win the competition, as the jury was mainly composed of Soviet cellists. The Russian cellist Daniil Shafran was the one who influenced the jury. Rosen remained, thus, the only American cellist to take first prize at the competition until Zlatomir Fung achieved the same feat in 2019.

Rosen grew up in a musical household, his father being an amateur violist. At the age of six, Rosen began studying with Eleonore Schoenfeld, professor of cello at the University of Southern California. At age 12, his teacher encouraged him to move on, first intending to study with Gabor Rejto; but, when it was announced that Gregor Piatigorsky was joining USC, Rosen auditioned and was welcomed into his studio and the newly created Institute for Special Musical Studies at the age of 13. Growing up, he also studied chamber music with other renowned teachers who joined Piatigorsky and the institute including Jascha Heifetz and William Primrose. He graduated from John Muir High School in the Class of 1965, and was active in the John Muir orchestra while in Grades 10, 11, and 12.

Nathaniel Rosen was born on June 9, 1948 in Altadena, California, USA.

His important and historical cello was crafted in 1738 by Domenico Montagnana, the "Mighty Venetian." One of the instrument's previous owners was Adrien-Francois Servais (1807–1866), the man who invented the endpin.