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Karen served as solo clarinetist with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra for four years directly after her studies at Manhattan School of Music. After relocating to the Netherlands, she performed extensively throughout the Netherlands with Trio Aleotti and the Kurios Klarinet Kwartet. While in Holland, she combined music making with innovative approaches to excellent business practice and created "MusicaLeren" with her husband Peter. These highly effective workshops used professional chamber music ensembles as metaphors for learning organizations and self-organizing teams. Management teams and other non-traditional audiences were introduced to the skill sets, disciplines and rigor required to create outstanding classical music performances.

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Karen returned to New England in 2008, and is clarinetist with  Vermont Virtuosi and Cape Cod Chamber Orchestra.  She often performs with the  Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, Symphony New Hampshire, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Plymouth Symphony Orchestra, the Chatham Chorale, New Bedford Symphony and the Gloriae Dei Cantores Orchestra. 

Karen's research for the Doctorate of Musical Arts Degree at Boston University focused on a newly discovered Concerto for Clarinets, (for Eb, Bb, A and Bass clarinets) by WWII era Dutch composer, Géza Frid. Research and Lecture Recital Links can be viewed at  the Géza Frid site (www.gezafrid.eu)

Karen has performing degrees from, Manhattan School of Music, Longy School of Music of Bard College, the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, and the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam. 

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She has worked with wonderful teachers such as George Pieterson (Concertgebouw Orchestra), Charles Russo (NY City Opera), Jonathan Cohler (soloist), Jorge Montilla (Simon Bolivar Orchestra), Michael Wayne (Boston Symphony Orchestra), Stephen Bates (Kennedy Center Opera and Ballet Orchestra), Ethan Sloane (Boston University) and David Martins (Boston University and Boston Symphony Orchestra).

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Karen performs on Wurlitzer clarinets (Eb, Bb, A; Reform Boehm) using a Viotto N1+3 mouthpiece and Benno Kruger reeds.  Her bass and basset horns are  Schwenk & Seggelke Reform Boehm instruments which descend to low C.

 Karen teaches at St. Anselm College (Manchester, N.H.), Bishop Guertin H.S.(Nashua N.H.), Souhegan H. S. (Amherst, N.H), Tufts University Community Music Program, and the Nashua Community Music School as well as at her private studio in Wilmington, MA.

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