Peruvian cellist Marlene Ballena began playing the cello at age seven in her hometown of Lima. She served as a member of the Peruvian National Symphony and as principal cellist of the Piura Symphony Orchestra. In 2003 she was awarded a performance scholarship at the University of Louisville where she earned her Bachelors degree. Later on, she continued her studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music with Stephen Geber.

Benjamin Geller

Benjamin Geller joined the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra as Principal Violist in 2014 where he regularly performs as a soloist in the orchestra and as a chamber musician in the Charlotte Area. Ben began violin lessons at the age of three in the Suzuki tradition at the Music Academy of Rockford. He continued his musical training at Butler University with Larry Shapiro and formally took up viola with Michael Isaac Strauss as well as a Jazz Minor with Mark Buselli.

Jon Lewis

The grand-prize winner of the 2007 Schadt International String Competition, American cellist Jon Lewis enjoys a diverse career that reflects his many musical interests. He currently holds the
positions of Assistant Principal Cello in the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Principal Cello of the Central City Opera, and is a regular substitute with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and
Atlanta Symphony.

Alaina Rea

Violist Alaina Rea joined the Charlotte Symphony as Assistant Principal Viola in September 2020. Alaina holds a Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School and a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Conservatory. Her teachers have included Victoria Chiang, Choong-Jin Chang, Heidi Castleman, and Steven Tenenbom. As a chamber musician, she has collaborated in recitals with Vadim Gluzman and Robert McDuffie.

Sarah Markle

Originally from Buffalo, NY, Sarah has been a member of the Charlotte Symphony since 2014. After receiving her Bachelors from the Peabody Conservatory, where she studied with Alan Stepansky, she completed her Masters in Orchestral Performance at the Manhattan School of Music in 2013. Prior to joining the CSO, Sarah performed frequently with the Buffalo Philharmonic, New Haven Symphony and New World Symphony.

Tatiana Karpova

Tatiana Karpova joined the Charlotte Symphony shortly after immigrating to the US in 1999. As a graduate of the Sverdlovsk Conservatory, she continued her musical studies at the Moscow Gnessin Institute of Music, where she completed her DMA. After winning second price at the David Oistrakh Violin Competition in 1988, Tatiana began a busy performing career as a soloist and chamber musician.

Leonardo Soto

Leonardo R. Soto, Jr. was appointed Principal Timpanist of the Houston Symphony in 2018. Before arriving to Houston, Leo served as Principal Timpanist of the Charlotte Symphony from 2009 to 2018, and the Michigan Opera Theatre-Detroit Opera House from 2003 to 2009. He was also an active member of Miami’s Nu-Deco ensemble. Leo has the unique distinction of being the first native Hispanic Timpanist to play in a major orchestra in the United States.

Lynn Kompass

Versatile as a collaborative pianist, chamber musician, and vocal coach,
Lynn Kompass has performed in Italy, Spain, Bulgaria, Brazil, China, South
Korea, and Thailand. She has also appeared in venues across the United States including Weill Recital Hall and the Nicholas Roerich Museum, the Strings in the Mountain Festival, Harold Washington Library, North Carolina Museum of Art, as well as numerous colleges and conservatories nationwide.