Long-standing member of The Florida Orchestra Alfred Gratta completed his bachelor’s degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he was a student of Stephen Geber. Fred received an invitation from Lynn Harrell to study at the University of Southern California, where he completed the Advanced Studies Program and his master’s degree in performance. Upon graduation from USC, Fred was chosen to perform with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Tenerife as guest violonchelo solista (principal cello). He was then appointed by Music Director Jahja Ling to serve as assistant principal cello for two consecutive seasons, which lead to his tenure at The Florida Orchestra. 

Mr. Gratta is currently a member of the artistic staff at the Pinellas Youth Symphony, Pinellas County Center for the Arts and is the instructor of cello at Eckerd College. He is a visiting lecturer at the University of Florida as well as past-president and vice president of the Greater Pinellas Music Teachers Association. Fred is principal cellist of the  Saint Petersburg Opera Orchestra and has served as guest principal cello of the Savannah Philharmonic,  Tampa Bay Symphony and the Missouri Chamber Orchestra. He appears regularly at summer festivals such as the Haydn Festival in Eisenstadt, Austria, the Bellingham Festival of Music, Breckenridge Music Institute, and Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto, Italy.