A native of Downers Grove, Illinois, Joshua Zajac made his solo debut with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago as Don Quixote, where he received direct mentoring in preparation from Yo-Yo Ma.  His term as principal of the Civic Orchestra led him to perform contemporary music regularly within the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s MusicNow concert series and the University of Chicago’s Contempo series, collaborating with artists such as Cliff Colnot, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and Vijay Iyer. 

A freelance career cellist, Zajac has performed music in multiple capacities, including the recording studio with gospel artist Kirk Franklin, the stadium venue with Stevie Wonder, and the impromptu freestyle backing cellist with rapper Common Sense just outside the Buckingham Fountain in Chicago. He is a worship director and multi-instrumentalist for his home church in the Chicago suburbs, father of a five year old, and enjoys transcribing hard rock music for cello ensemble as a creative side project.  

Joshua has a modest teaching studio of cello students in Downers Grove, and can often be found performing Candlelight Concert programs with the Metropolis String Quartet. All of his gratitude for being able to make music is directed to God, his beautiful wife Kimberlee, his entire Zajac family, and his primary cello mentors: Ingrid Krizan, Richard Hirschl, and Stephen Geber.  He joined the Credo faculty in 2021.