ONLY ON ABC-7: Master cellist Zuill Bailey on El Paso, winning a Grammy and his inspiration

There are many ways to describe world renown cellist Zuill Bailey: he’s a musician, a performer, a teacher, Grammy award winner and now head of UTEP’s Center for the Arts Entrepreneurship.

“I started playing cello at 4, piano at 5, soccer at 5, drawing and scupture at six and it so happens that cello is what lit my fire,” Bailey said.

That fire has been burning 40 years, including 25 years of performing on stage, where the magic happens.

“I love creating and I love exploring and educating myself and trying to be a master of what I do,” Bailey said.

In March, the master cellist won a Grammy for the best solo classical performance.

“When the Grammy award came down, I felt the swell of El Paso with me,” Bailey said, “That made me feel like I had a community and it was an amazing feeling. It takes time and trust and I really appreciate being in El Paso.”

Bailey likes to share his successes at area schools, mentoring young musicians-in-the-making. “Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. There are a lot of things that come when dreams are realized,” he said.

Bailey said he’s “not a guy who looks back. I look at the sides when I’m moving forward.”

He tells ABC-7 he is working on his next goal. “I am a guy who walks around throwing seeds everywhere. I’m basically trying to invigorate the region and this is a perfect scenario where a rose grew,” Bailey said.

The rose he is referring to is UTEP’s Center for the Arts Entrepreneurship. “People who go into music have an acknowledgement of passion, and how to communicate, and how to lead, and how to focus and dedicate themselves to somethign that makes a differece in their lives and others,” Bailey said.

The cellist made El Paso his home 16 years ago and will continue to inspire young musicians for years to come.

Bailey has just signed another five year contract to continue as the Artistic Director of El Paso Pro Musica.

He has a busy schedule.

Between UTEP and visiting schools, his performance schedule is booked for the next 18 months.

When asked what inspires him, Bailey simply said, “life.”