The Collective

An active freelance violinist, Callista has performed with many orchestras, including Blue Water Chamber Orchestra, the Akron, Canton, and Wheeling Symphony Orchestras, the Sarasota Opera Orchestra, and the Cleveland Orchestra. Callista performs as a first call violinist at Playhouse Square, Great Lakes Theater, and the Cleveland Playhouse. She’s a master at being able to adapt to and thrive in a variety of musical situations, from classical to Broadway to pop and rock. Callista has performed with Weird Al Yankovic, Mannheim Steamroller, the Final Fantasy tours, Billy Porter, and Johnny Mathis, as well as the national tours of Jesus Christ Superstar, Hello Dolly, Kinky Boots, Something Rotten, and more. She has also performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies with Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra. A full time Suzuki violin instructor at the Cleveland Music Settlement since 2001, Callista has served as Suzuki Department Chair since August 2010. She has nurtured thousands of young violinists.  Callista has served on the faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Fairmount Fine Arts Center. She also served on the faculty of the East Cleveland Suzuki Strings Program, the first Suzuki program of its kind in the United States.

Callista is also the founder of Arts for Us, a concert series at The Music Settlement dedicated to providing individuals with special needs and their families an opportunity to enjoy high quality live performances in a comfortable and welcoming setting. The series was inspired by her son, Evan, a young man with special needs who loves music, so they could share concert experiences together.