Hamilton, Ohio, United States
Kallea Willingham is an accomplished young cellist whose musical journey spans prestigious youth orchestras, masterclasses with world-class artists, and performances on renowned stages. Outside of her symphony school orchestra, she currently performs with the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra Philharmonic (CSYO), the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Nouveau (CSO Nouveau), Cincinnati Starling Strings Project and Peraza Music Workshop (PMW). She has also been a member of the Butler Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (BPYO), the Brevard Concert Orchestra (BMC), Interlochen World Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO), and Interlochen Philharmonic (IP). She currently studies under retired CSO Associate Principal Cellist, Dan Culnan. Kallea is an active competitor and performer through the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) and the Ohio Federation of Music Clubs (OFMC). Her artistry has been shaped through masterclasses with the Kronos Quartet and Vitamin Quartet at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), Dr. Verrier at the Immanuel School of Music, and Michelle Cann at Cincinnati Music Hall. She has also participated in Chamber Music Day with Karlos Rodriguez and Dr. Sarah Kim at Miami University. She attends weekly Music Theory and String Quartet Chamber Workshop under the direction on Marion Peraza. Her performance experience includes various CSO Classical Roots concerts at Cincinnati Music Hall, sharing the stage with renowned pianist, Lang Lang, Side-by-Side Concerts with the Cincinnati and Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and performed with Isata Kanneh-Mason in Sheku Kanneh-Mason's masterclass. Kallea’s dedication, versatility, and passion for music continue to drive her pursuit of excellence as both a solo and ensemble performer.