CARRIE DENNIS has been playing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic as Principal Viola since 2008 after being awarded the position by Esa-Pekka Salonen. She was a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music on two occasions, earning a bachelor’s degree in violin and an artists’ diploma in viola. After studying with Michael Tree and Joseph de Pasquale, she became Assistant Principal Viola in the Philadelphia Orchestra for four years. Dennis became Principal Viola of the Berlin Philharmonic under the baton of Simon Rattle, where she stayed for two years. She has participated in the Verbier Festival, Switzerland; at Tanglewood as a fellow; and at the Barga Chamber Music Festival, Italy; the Grand Tetons Music Festival; and the Moritzburg Festival in Germany.

She has taught at Northwestern University, USC, UCLA, the Colburn School, and the Juilliard School, as well as the American Viola Society and the Orchestra of the Pacific in Vancouver. When not playing classical music, Carrie Dennis enjoys improvising and collaborating in an ambient electronic music group, Mico Nonet. She lives in Hollywood with her husband John F. Sullivan, dog Nina, and two newborn sons Atticus and Finneas.