Equally passionate about classical and popular music, Carlyn enjoys moving between concert halls, stadiums, clubs, and recording studios. She has recently performed with artists including Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Cynthia Erivo, and Junior H, among others. She is the resident cellist for five-time Grammy-nominated artist and composer David Arkenstone, with whom she has toured throughout the United States and Canada.

As a recording artist, Carlyn is most recently featured in Junior H’s music video “Culpable” and on David Arkenstone’s albums Winterlude, Quest for the Runestone, and David Arkenstone & Friends – LIVE!, as well as fado artist David Silveira Garcia’s album Palco da Vida. Her recording credits also include film, television, and video game soundtracks including Dungeon Masters, World of Warcraft, Amazon Prime’s We Were Liars, and the award-winning animated short film Let’s Eat (Anamon Studios). Carlyn can also be seen performing with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra in the PBS Great Performances special Henry Mancini 100 at the Hollywood Bowl.

Carlyn has performed with numerous orchestras and is a tenured member of the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music Orchestra. She frequently performs with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and Long Beach Symphony and has also appeared with Sarasota Opera Orchestra, Musical Theatre West as principal cellist, Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, Marin Symphony, Fresno Philharmonic, Stockton Symphony, Mendocino Music Festival Orchestra, CityMusic Cleveland Chamber Orchestra, Suburban Symphony Orchestra as principal cellist, Cleveland Opera Theater, and the Banff Festival Orchestra and Opera Orchestra, where she served as principal cellist. During her studies, she also served as principal cellist of the Cleveland Institute of Music Orchestra.

A passionate chamber musician, Carlyn has cultivated her love of chamber music through performance, education, and outreach. She is the cellist of the piano trio Curium, which specializes in music by female composers. A recipient of InterMusic SF’s Musical Career Grant, Curium released its debut album, Curium, featuring works by female composers, in 2023. Carlyn was also selected as an Emerging Artist Fellow with Chamber Music Silicon Valley for its 2018–19 season. Before relocating to California, she was a founding member of the Cleveland Cello Quartet, a genre-bending ensemble that served as Ensemble-in-Residence at The Music Settlement in Cleveland.

Her summer festival engagements have included the Cabrillo Festival, Avaloch Farm Music Institute, Chamber Music Academy at Domaine Forget, Toronto Summer Music Festival, Banff Chamber Music Residency, the Banff Centre, London Master Classes, Yellow Barn Young Artists Program, Meadowmount School of Music, and Bowdoin International Music Festival. While at CIM, Carlyn participated in the Advanced Piano Trio Program and performed in a weeklong residency with the Chamber Music Society of Detroit. She has performed with many celebrated classical artists including Pekka Kuusisto, Martin Beaver, Axel Strauss, Steven Dann, and Frank Morelli.

Devoted to music education, Carlyn maintains a thriving private cello studio, teaching both in person and online to students around the world. She is currently on the faculty of the Colburn School’s Community School of Performing Arts and maintains a private studio in West Hollywood. Her previous teaching positions include adjunct faculty appointments at The College of Wooster and Washington College, Suzuki faculty at Holy Names University Preparatory Music Program, and Department Head of Strings at The Music Settlement, a renowned community music school and hub for arts and culture in Cleveland.

A passionate advocate for nonprofit arts organizations, Carlyn previously served on the administrative staff of The Walden School, a nonprofit creative and experiential summer music school and festival. In Cleveland and San Francisco, she was an active member of Classical Revolution, which brings classical music to nontraditional venues and festivals across the country. A former Cleveland Clinic Performing Artist, Carlyn particularly values opportunities to share music in healthcare and community settings. An avid writer, she has also published numerous articles with San Francisco Classical Voice and ClevelandClassical.com.

Carlyn performs on a 2012 cello by William Whedbee. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Elliot. Outside of music, she enjoys hiking, planning her next travel adventure, and exploring the Los Angeles restaurant scene.