Karissa Zadinsky, Cello

Karissa Zadinsky, 20, is a Bachelor of Music candidate at the Colburn Conservatory of Music where she studies with Mr. Ronald Leonard. This January, she was one of three finalists for The Cleveland Orchestra cello section audition. Resulting from a Seattle Symphony audition process in 2013, Karissa is a substitute cellist for the SSO. She also performed in Seattle Opera’s production of Suor Angelica and La Voix Humaine. Karissa has distinguished herself in numerous competitions, including the Seattle Young Artist Music Festival Concerto Competition, The Philadelphia International Concerto Competition, Coeur d’Alene National Concerto Competition, and Northwest Sinfonietta Youth Concerto Competition.

Ms. Zadinsky made her solo debut at the age 15, performing Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations at Benaroya Hall with Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony as a winner of the SSO Young Artist Auditions. She performed on the live KING 5 telvevision program New Day Northwest as well as various interview/performances on KING FM 98.1 Northwest Focus Live. She has performed with artists such as Martin Chalifour, Joseph Silverstein, Barbara Westphal, Charles Wetherbee, and Alexander Kerr at the Sarasota Music Festival and Heifetz International Music Institute. Karissa began her studies at age 7 with Leslie Marckx and has worked with many renowned cellists through private lessons and masterclasses including Steven Isserlis, Efe Baltacigil, Meeka Quan-diLorenzo, Raymond Davis, Johannes Moser, Mark Kosower, and Desmond Hoebig.

Karissa also finds great fulfillment in community engagement projects; she served on the Board of Directors for the Society of Emerging Artists which raised benefits for various charities. She is currently a member of Colburn’s Calla Quartet and has performed in venues including the Norton Simon Museum and Sierra Madre Playhouse.