Charles Settle
Charles Settle
B.Mus. (Curtis)
Charles Settle joined the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as Principal Percussion in 2017. Prior to joining the Toronto Symphony, Charles was a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra starting in the 2004-2005 season. Since the 2015 season, Charles has been serving as Acting Principal Percussion of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
During the 2008-2009 season, Mr. Settle took a one-year leave of absence from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and joined the New York Philharmonic as Percussionist and Assistant Timpanist, where he toured and participated in various recording projects. While in New York, Charles also performed with the Berlin Staatskapelle Orchestra during their residency of the complete Mahler Symphonies at Carnegie Hall, as well as with the brass section of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra for a brass percussion ensemble concert at Riverside Cathedral. From 2000-2004, Charles was a member of the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, FL. During these years. he also performed as an extra percussionist with the Philadelphia Orchestra.
During the summer, Charles currently performs as a member of the Sun Valley Summer Symphony Orchestra in Sun Valley, ID, where he served as Principal Percussion the summer of 2016. He has performed with the Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Seattle Symphony and The Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
An active educator, Mr. Settle has given master classes at the University of Toronto, University of Miami (FL), DePaul University in Chicago, Manhattan School of Music, and The Curtis Institute of Music where he visits annually. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at Georgia State University since 2013, teaches privately out of his home in Atlanta, is a faculty member of the Atlanta Symphony Talent Development Program and coaches the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. He made his debut solo appearance in September 2016 with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Robert Spano conducting, in Avner Dorman's Spices Perfume and Toxins. He was a featured soloist with the Sun Valley Summer Symphony in the summer of 2017.
Charles was born in Princeton, KY which he left after his sophomore year in high school. He graduated high school from the Interlochen Arts Academy and received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with Michael Bookspan and Don Liuzzi. Charles serves as an Artist and Clinician for Zildjian Cymbals, Freer Percussion products, and Pearl Drums.