Cellist Wendy Warner is the featured artist for Monday’s Legacy Live! concert but she’ll share the spotlight with other Columbus State University Schwob School of Music teachers.

The performance will also feature collaborative pianist Yien Wang, violist Zoran Jakovcic and clarinetist Lisa Oberlander.

Plus, Warner will perform the premiere of “A propos de l’amitie,” a piece composed by Fred Cohen, the former director of school who now teaches composition and music theory. He’s excited to hear his piece. “I will happily sit in the audience,” Cohen said.

He said it is challenging music for the musicians.

“It’s hard,” Cohen said. “But it allows them to explore.”

The cellist

Warner has started her second year teaching at the Schwob School.

“I can’t believe it,” she said. “I love it. I’m really happy with my students this year.”

Warner, one of the most acclaimed cellists of her age (30-something) in the United States, has 10 students this year.

About 10 years ago, Warner had to take a break from performing because she had a rare form of tendonitis in her right hand.

“That’s the year I had 80 concerts,” she said. Her injury forced her to cancel all of them.

She’s happy to have recovered and she’s thankful that she had released two CDs prior to her diagnosis. She credits the CDs with keeping her from disappearing from the music scene.

Currently she’s enjoying spending time touring and teaching.

Warner started playing piano at age 4 and cello at age 6.

At Monday’s performance, Warner gets to perform with her fiance Zoran Jakovcic. He is the director of the Schwob School of Music’s Preparatory Division, and also teaches viola.

“Zoran’s happy here,” she said. “His class has grown, too.”

Music for fun

Warner sheepishly admits she doesn’t own an iPod and says she’s been known to spend $300 buying CDs.

She listens to a lot of Latin music -- bossa nova, tango and samba music.

Does she dance?

“I wish,” she said. “I have no talent for dance. I fantasize about it.”

She likes playing old recordings by cellists Mstislav Rostropovich and Jacqueline du Pre.

She also listens to violin and piano recordings. Her mother is a pianist.

She enjoys the work of Lera Auerbach, a young Russian-American composer.

She relies on her students to suggest pop music, and she’s open to playing new music, “if it’s good.”