Sharon Mautner-RodgersFaculty

Sharon Mautner-Rodgers is a California native and won numerous competitions both as a soloist and a member of the Trio Con Brio. Sharon was awarded a full music scholarship to attend the Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences where she received the Herbert Zipper award for excellence.  Sharon has participated in the Aspen Music Festival, ENCORE school for strings, Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, Taos Chamber Music Festival, National Repertory Orchestra, Bear Lake Music Festival, Oregon Coast Music Festival, Endless Mountain Music Festival, the Missouri  Symphony "Hot Summer Nights" Festival, and the Lakes Area Music Festival in Brainerd.

Sharon has been a member of many professional orchestras including the New World, Charleston, Naples, Memphis, Cedar Rapids, Quad Cities, Dubuque, Des Moines, Honolulu, Malaysian Philharmonic, and Wichita Symphonies. She has performed at The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Carnegie Recital Hall, The Teatro Cologn in South America, The Bastille Opera House in Paris,  The Hollywood Bowl, and in Singapore.  In 2019, Sharon went back twice to Malaysia to sub with the Philharmonic. This included a tour to Beijing, Tianjin, and Dalian China.

Sharon has taught cello and coached chamber music at the Luzerne Music Center in NY, the Weathersfield Music Camp in VT,  Drake University Community School, Cornell College,  Grace Christian School, International Cello Institute, St. Jose Sanchez del Rio minor seminary, and the New Ulm Suzuki strings camp.

Sharon had the honor of being chosen as a sabbatical replacement at Drake University for Spring semester 2023, teaching 7 cello majors.

Locally, Sharon has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, VocalEssence, Oratorio Society, Rochester Symphony, Minneapolis Pops Orchestra, Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra, and the Lyric Opera of the North in Duluth. 

Currently Sharon is Principal cellist with the Mankato Symphony, Associate Principal cellist of the South Dakota Symphony,  a regular freelancer in both MN and S.D., and is a member of the Kasota Piano Trio.

In addition to Gustavus, Sharon also teaches at Bethany College, Forte Fine Arts in Le Suer, and the Southern MN School of Music in Mankato. 

Sharon is married to Dr. Joseph Rodgers, and is the mother of two sons and a daughter.

Courses Taught