A cello étude (or study) is a piece of music written for the solo cello that zeroes in on specific techniques. Cello études are most often written by cellists to help other cellists improve their playing ability. Music that is written for performance generally does not focus on instrumental technique. Performance music is written to convey a certain sound, mood, set of emotions or ideas.
Some cello etudes, while focusing on cello techniques, also focus on musical ideas. Some rise to the level of performance pieces. However, it is rare to find cello etudes programmed in recital.
Most recently the "Ten American Cello Etudes" of Aaron Minsky (1958 - ), a set of pieces based on various styles of American popular music, have become widely used in performance. For instance, they have been performed in Spain by David Johnstone, and in China by Lawrence Stomberg. Both of these concert cellists have also issued recordings of the suite. Another recording of some of the pieces was made by Sebastian Comberti in England for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Some of the pieces are in the curriculum of the Associated Board, as well as the curriculum of the American String Teachers' Association and others around the world. Many students and teachers also perform Minsky's etudes in competitions, auditions, and concerts. Jeffrey Solow, concert cellist and chair of the Department of Instrumental Studies at Temple University, included "Ten American Cello Etudes" in his published list of "Standard Cello Repertoire".
The last set of cello etudes which had such universal cellistic appeal was the "High School of Cello Playing" written by David Popper (1843 - 1913). His etudes are widely considered a pre-requisite to becoming a professional cellist.
There are several other composers whose cello etudes are widely studied by cellists. These composers include Dotzauer, Duport, Piatti, Lee, Merk, Grűtzmacher, and Franchomme. The first cello etudes appear to have been written in the eighteenth century by contemporaries of Mozart and Beethoven. Clearly the cello etude has a long and distinguished history. With the recent success of the cello etudes of Aaron Minsky, this genre of music appears to entering into a new acceptance in the concert world.