Cedar grew up in northeastern New York state, and began playing the violin at age five. Surrounded by folk music at home, he took up fiddling soon thereafter, and fell in love with traditional Irish music after seeing the bands Dervish and Altan play live, and studying with Martin Hayes at fiddle camp. In high school he joined family friends John Kirk and Trish Miller in their Americana folk band Quickstep. He then went on to study with Ioan Harea at the Crane School of Music, and graduated with a degree in violin performance in 2007. 

After moving to Boston to learn violin making and repair at the North Bennet Street School, Cedar again fully embraced traditional fiddle music and soon met Max Newman and Julie Vallimont, with whom he formed the dance band Nor’easter. For the past 15 years, Cedar has performed across North America with Nor’easter and numerous other musicians, and currently tours with the bands Thunderwing and Sycamore. 

His spirited, rhythmic playing and clear tone have earned him a reputation as one of the best dance fiddlers carrying on the New England tradition. Along with contra dances, Cedar plays for weddings, parties, house concerts, and more, and can often be found at traditional Irish sessions near his home in southern Vermont.

In addition to music, Cedar is a passionate birder and birding guide. He has worked for the New York State Breeding Bird Atlas projects, and leads field trips across the US and abroad. He guides for numerous birding festivals in North America, and is a seasoned international traveller. Currently Cedar is president of the Birding Co-op, an international non-profit organization that works to foster birding community and create tours that are more accessible to a wider audience.