Lily Honigberg ’18, ’20 MM and Yi-Mei Templeman ’22, ’23 GD, ’24 MM on Tour with Phoebe Bridgers

NEC alumni Lily Honigberg ’18, ’20 MM and Yi-Mei Templeman ’22, ’23 GD, ’24 MM are taking their talents on the global stage as backing string musicians on tour with indie rock singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. Performing to arena-sized crowds across the globe, Honigberg and Templeman bring rich acoustic textures and nuanced arrangements to Bridgers' critically acclaimed repertoire. Honigberg serves as the tour’s featured violinist and fiddler, seamlessly moving between sweeping classical textures, folk-infused fiddle melodies, and improvised fills. Templeman anchors the lower register on cello, adding deep resonance, lush bowed harmonies, and dynamic low-end weight to the live band.

Raised in a family of classical musicians, Honigberg earned her Bachelor of Music in 2018 at NEC before completing her Master of Music in 2020. Immersing herself in traditional Irish music, folk fiddling, and contemporary improvisation alongside her classical training, Honigberg has built a multifaceted career as a recording artist, composer, and session player. Beyond her solo work under her own name and her lo-fi project, honey mtn, she has collaborated with a wide array of cross-genre artists and recorded on Grammy-nominated tracks.

Cellist, singer-songwriter, and composer Templeman, earned her Bachelor of Music from NEC in 2022, followed by a Graduate Diploma in 2023 and a Master of Music in 2024. During her time at NEC, Templeman was a founding member of Trio Gaia, NEC's former Graduate Piano Trio in Residence, earning recognition across major chamber competitions. Expanding far beyond classical chamber halls, Templeman continues to push the boundaries of her instrument through original songwriting, multi-genre collaborations, and international touring.