Francisco L. Malespin

Cellist

Francisco Lopez Malespin is a Brazilian cellist and educator whose musical journey began at CEFAR in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. This formative experience ignited his lifelong dedication to cello performance and musicianship.

Mr. Malespin is the recipient of the prestigious Rita Simo Scholarship, which provided him with a full scholarship for his undergraduate studies in Cello Performance at North Park University, where he also earned a Certificate in Music for Social Change. He furthered his studies at DePaul University School of Music, completing a Master of Music degree and a Performance Certificate, both supported by DePaul’s Performance Scholarship.

Throughout his studies, Francisco has had the privilege of learning from renowned cellists and educators, including Paula Kosower, Steve Balderston, and John Sharp of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. An active performer in the Midwest, Mr. Malespin recently completed three years of membership and fellowship with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, one of the leading orchestral training programs in the world. During his time there, he performed with names such as Riccardo Muti and Hilary Hahn but also curated concerts and participated in outreach education initiatives through the Fellowship program.

As a passionate educator, Mr. Malespin integrates the principles of the El Sistema philosophy with traditional cello pedagogy in his teaching. He is currently a cello instructor at Sistema Ravinia and maintains a private cello studio in the northern suburbs of Chicago, where he works with students of all ages and skill levels.