He had a prolific solo career from 1981 until 1996 when he became the principal cellist of the New York Philharmonic, a position he continues to occupy.
[1][2] Carter Brey was born in Montclair, New Jersey[1] and grew up in Westchester County, New York.
[3] Brey came to international attention in 1981 when he won the 3rd Prize of the Rostropovich International Cello Competition, which led to his playing the Robert Schumann Cello concerto under the baton of Mstislav Rostropovich with the National Symphony Orchestra in 1983.
In 1982 he won the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, which led to his New York City recital debut at the 92nd Street Y.
[1] These competition wins kick-started his career as a cello soloist and he has since performed with almost every major symphony orchestra in the United States under such conductors as Claudio Abbado, Lorin Maazel, Kurt Masur, Semyon Bychkov, Sergiu Comissiona, and Christoph von Dohnanyi.