Dona Vellek Klein joined the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as Assistant Principal Cello in 1981. Between 2001-2008, Ms. Klein took a sabbatical from the Orchestra due to severe tendonitis and returned in 2008 as Assistant Principal Cello Emeritus.
Throughout her tenure with the Orchestra, Ms. Klein has been an active coach with the Talent Development Program, Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, and Emory Youth Symphony Orchestra. She has served as an elected delegate for the Atlanta Symphony Associates and a committee member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Players Association. Ms. Klein also enjoys participating in a variety of the Orchestra’s community engagement activities.
Ms. Klein is a graduate of Mannes College’s New School of Music, where she studied with Orlando Cole of the Curtis String Quartet. Prior to joining the Orchestra, she was a member of the Buffalo Philharmonic and also gave regular chamber recitals at the State University of New York. Ms. Klein has been an affiliate artist with Emory University for 11 years and performed as part of the concert series at Oglethorpe University for three years. She is the founder of Sempre Sonare and cofounder of the Atlanta String Quartet. Ms. Klein is also an active chamber musician and performs regularly with the Musica da Camera, Georgian Chamber Players, Atlanta Chamber Players, and others. Additionally, she is a private music instructor and a member of the American String Teachers Association.