Janet Carpenter

Growing up in Cincinnati, Janet Carpenter couldn’t believe that some people were lucky enough to get to play in an orchestra all day long. She joined the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s second violin section in 2016, and still feels fortunate every day.

Carpenter previously played for four years in the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, where she served as acting first assistant concertmaster for one season. During her time there she performed regularly on the CSO Chamber Players series and appeared multiple times as a soloist with the Cincinnati Community Orchestra. Prior to that, she was principal second violinist of the Canton Symphony Orchestra.

Carpenter earned her Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music as a student of David Updegraff, and was the recipient of CIM’s Dr. Jerome Gross Prize in Violin in 2009. She made her solo debut in 2007 as a first prize winner of the Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition.

Carpenter is a strong believer in encouraging the next generation of young musicians, and as such recently toured Australia as an alumna and soloist with the Cincinnati Junior Strings.

In her spare time, Carpenter enjoys traveling, arts festivals, board games, and spending time with her two cats.