Hailed by Gramophone as a “sensitive and virtuoso performer,” flutist Kaleb Chesnic, is an active solo, chamber, and orchestral musician and educator whose work is grounded in expressive performance, thoughtful collaboration, and a commitment to developing the next generation of musicians. He has performed with The Cleveland Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Albany Symphony Orchestra, and The Baldwin Wallace Bach Festival Orchestra, and other regional orchestras.
Chesnic serves as Lecturer in Flute at Baldwin Wallace University’s Conservatory of Performing Arts. His teaching emphasizes growth mindset, reflective practice, collaborative learning, and the development of healthy, sustainable approaches to musicianship. His students have been accepted for further study at institutions including the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, The University of Michigan, Bowling Green State University, and Ohio State University. They have also gone on to have success in several competitions.
An active clinician and guest artist, Chesnic has presented masterclasses, recitals, and educational programs at universities and flute organizations across the country. His educational work extends to summer programs, where he serves as a flute instructor at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp and the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory Summer Institute and as artist faculty at the InterHarmony International Music Festival.
Chesnic is deeply committed to creating meaningful opportunities for young musicians and strengthening the communities in which he works. He serves as President of the Greater Cleveland Flute Society, providing artistic and organizational leadership while building programming for the flutists of Northeast Ohio.
Chesnic’s debut album, Grieg: Violin Sonatas for Flute, released by MSR Classics with pianist Nathália Kato, presents his original transcriptions of Edvard Grieg’s complete violin sonatas. The recording reflects Chesnic’s interest in expanding the flute repertoire while exploring the expressive possibilities of adapting music originally conceived for other instruments. The album received international critical recognition. Flutist Quarterly highlighted Chesnic’s “remarkably fluid tone and unbridled virtuosity.”
As a soloist, Chesnic has performed repertoire ranging from the Baroque era to contemporary music. His concerto appearances include Carl Reinecke’s Flute Concerto, Joel Puckett’s The Shadow of Sirius, J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, Antonio Vivaldi’s La Notte and others. His performance interests encompass both established traditional repertoire and a commitment to finding the traditional works of tomorrow by seeking out and commissioning works by contemporary composers.
Chesnic’s musicianship also includes conducting and ensemble leadership. He has served as guest conductor of the Erie Waters Flute Choir and conducted the Colorado Flute Orchestra.
Chesnic holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Flute Performance and Pedagogy and a Master of Music in Flute Performance from the University of Colorado Boulder, as well as a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance from the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music.
His honors include First Prize and Audience Favorite in the Bruce Ekstrand Memorial Competition, the Marina Piccinini International Masterclass Prize, and first prize in the Tuesday Musical Association Competition. His principal teachers include Christina Jennings, George Pope, Amy Porter, Damian Bursill-Hall, and Andrei Pidkivka.
Chesnic performs exclusively on Powell flutes.