Kasumi Leonard, 2nd Flute/Piccolo of the Sarasota Opera, is sought after for her expressive performances and colorful sound. She maintains a thriving career, performing with orchestras and chamber ensembles across the country. In 2026, Kasumi will be serving as Acting Principal Flute with the Sarasota Opera.

Kasumi began her career with The United States Army Field Band, where she performed from 2009-2016. Touring 100 days per year, she traveled with the Field Band across 48 states on 18 national tours and was a regularly featured soloist. She held the rank of Staff Sergeant on active duty and attended Army basic training for ten weeks in the summer of 2009 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

Following her career with the Army Field Band, Kasumi continued building an orchestral career, recently performing as Piccolo/3rd Flute with the Omaha Symphony for the 2022-2024 seasons. She has also appeared as Guest Principal Flute with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of JoAnn Falletta, performing on recording projects that were nominated for GRAMMY awards for two consecutive years in the category of Best Orchestral Performance. Her work with the BPO included a Florida tour on principal flute and a New York City tour on piccolo.

Kasumi’s performance credits extend to engagements with the Baltimore Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet, New Mexico Philharmonic, Santa Fe Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Des Moines Metro Opera, Finger Lakes Opera, Cabrillo Festival for Contemporary Music, Reno Chamber Orchestra, and Jackson Hole Chamber Festival.

Kasumi holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the Eastman School of Music, where she studied flute with Bonita Boyd and piccolo with Anne Lindblom Harrow. She completed a Professional Studies Diploma at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music as a student of Tim Day. An avid lover of the sciences, Kasumi also holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics from the University of New Mexico.

Originally from Seattle, WA, Kasumi was raised in a family of visual artists, which deeply influenced her creative approach to music. Her foundational mentors included flutist Bonnie Blanchard, conductor Anna Edwards, and Seattle Symphony piccoloist Zart Dombourian-Eby. Her early years were marked by extensive involvement with the Seattle Youth Symphony and success in local competitions, setting the stage for her professional performance career.

In her spare time, Kasumi loves to ski, surf, hike and cook.