Charlotta Klein Ross

A native of Michigan, Charlotta Klein Ross began her musical studies at age eight, taking piano lessons from her mother.  In seventh grade, she began cello.  Her first orchestra experience was in the Flint Youth Symphony.  Ms. Ross attended Michigan State University where she studied with Louis Potter.  She received her bachelor of art in music education, string specialist.  After playing with the North Carolina and Dallas symphonies and teaching at Brevard Music Camp, she attended Carnegie Mellon University, receiving a master’s degree in cell performance, studying with Theo Salzman.

Ms. Ross has been a cellist in the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra since 1968.  She has been active with the Pittsburgh Quartet for over 20 years, and has been on the faulty of the Chamber Music Conference at Bennington, Vermont. Ms. Ross has been cello coach of the Symphonette for the past 20 years.  As on the third conductor of the Symphonette, she continues her late husband’s (Paul J. Ross) outstanding musical legacy. The Symphonette is part of the Three River young Peoples Orchestras, open to young musicians from the tri-county area. 

Ms. Ross is the widow of Paul Ross, formerly a violinist in the Pittsburgh Symphony.  She has three grown daughters and six grandchildren.  For fun, she reads, plays piano, arranges music for her youth orchestra, collects Victoriana, and studies local history.

Ms. Ross is retiring at the end of the 2011-2012 season.