Leslie Scarpino joined the Boulder Philharmonic as principal trumpet in 2016. She is also the principal trumpet of Opera Colorado and is a frequent substitute with the Colorado Symphony. In the summer months, she is principal trumpet of Central City Opera, a position she has held since 2012. Prior to moving to Colorado, Leslie was principal trumpet of the Palm Beach Symphony and the Florida Grand Opera. She performed as a substitute in orchestras like the Chicago Symphony, the Kansas City Symphony, the Virginia Symphony, and many others.

Originally from Clive, Iowa, Leslie started playing trumpet in the fifth grade. She earned her bachelor and master of music degrees from Northwestern University where she studied with Barbara Butler and Charles Geyer. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Miami where she was a student of Craig Morris. During her college years, she participated in festivals like the American Russian Young Artist Orchestra, the AIMS Festival in Austria, Spoleto Festival USA, and the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. She has appeared as a soloist with the Ukrainian State Symphony Orchestra on a tour of the Netherlands.

In addition to performing, Leslie is a passionate teacher. She taught the trumpet studio of CU Boulder during the 2025 fall semester as a sabbatical replacement. She has also held teaching positions at the University of Miami, Lake Forest College, and Wilbur Wright College.