Karen Clark
Biography
Karen Clark’s musical journey begins with a family heritage hailing from the hills of Kentucky. Her love of music led her to pursue opera studies with Virginia Zeani, Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, and Martha Lipton in Indiana University’s School of Music. During her graduate studies, Clark’s interest in early music was fostered by Thomas Binkley and, subsequently, led her to work with Andrea von Ramm. Clark’s repertoire spans the centuries to include medieval chant, troubadour and trouvere, opera, oratorio, romantic art song, and new music of the 20th and 21st centuries.
In 2008, Clark premiered four new song cycles composed for her and the Galax Quartet on poems of Pulitzer poet, Gary Snyder. In April 2009, a program of these works by Fred Frith, Allaudin Mathieu, Robert Morris, and Roy Whelden, are featured with the poet, Gary Snyder, on Grass Valley Concerts. On April 17, Clark will be heard in recital in San Francisco with violist, Hank Dutt, and pianist, Marilyn Thompson. The concert, hosted by Old First Concerts, bridges the modern works of Joan Jenrenaud and Steve Reich with medieval music of Guillaume de Machaut and Hildegard von Bingen. In early music, Clark has performed and recorded with the world’s leading ensembles, such as Joshua Rifkin’s Bach Ensemble, Ensemble Sequentia, Boston Camerata, New York Early Music, Newberry Consort, Waverly Consort, and many more. In March 2009, Clark will be heard with Ciaramella on the Da Camera Society’s series at Los Angeles City Hall at Bradley Tower. Karen is recorded on New Albion, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, and Erato. A new recording of old and new music with the Galax Quartet is slated for 2009.
A devoted teacher, Clark moved to Northern California in 1995 to pursue training in the Feldenkrais Method® of Somatic Education. Since then, she has been exploring the breadth and depth of vocal technique in relation to the sensate world of the singer. Clark’s workshops for musicians include topics such as vocal pedagogy, ensemble and choral singing, and health and injury prevention, and have been presented by the University of Kentucky, Chanticleer Workshops in Sonoma, Sonoma State University, and the Madison Early Music Festival. In June 2009, Clark will be on faculty for the San Francisco Early Music Society's Medieval Renaissance workshop.
Clark has published several articles on the Feldenkrais Method® and its application to performance. She previously taught in the music departments of Swarthmore College and Princeton University. Clark currently teaches in the music department of Sonoma State University and is the vocal teacher for the early music program at the USC Thornton School of Music. For performance updates, visit www.karenrclark.com.
In 2008, Clark premiered four new song cycles composed for her and the Galax Quartet on poems of Pulitzer poet, Gary Snyder. In April 2009, a program of these works by Fred Frith, Allaudin Mathieu, Robert Morris, and Roy Whelden, are featured with the poet, Gary Snyder, on Grass Valley Concerts. On April 17, Clark will be heard in recital in San Francisco with violist, Hank Dutt, and pianist, Marilyn Thompson. The concert, hosted by Old First Concerts, bridges the modern works of Joan Jenrenaud and Steve Reich with medieval music of Guillaume de Machaut and Hildegard von Bingen. In early music, Clark has performed and recorded with the world’s leading ensembles, such as Joshua Rifkin’s Bach Ensemble, Ensemble Sequentia, Boston Camerata, New York Early Music, Newberry Consort, Waverly Consort, and many more. In March 2009, Clark will be heard with Ciaramella on the Da Camera Society’s series at Los Angeles City Hall at Bradley Tower. Karen is recorded on New Albion, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, and Erato. A new recording of old and new music with the Galax Quartet is slated for 2009.
A devoted teacher, Clark moved to Northern California in 1995 to pursue training in the Feldenkrais Method® of Somatic Education. Since then, she has been exploring the breadth and depth of vocal technique in relation to the sensate world of the singer. Clark’s workshops for musicians include topics such as vocal pedagogy, ensemble and choral singing, and health and injury prevention, and have been presented by the University of Kentucky, Chanticleer Workshops in Sonoma, Sonoma State University, and the Madison Early Music Festival. In June 2009, Clark will be on faculty for the San Francisco Early Music Society's Medieval Renaissance workshop.
Clark has published several articles on the Feldenkrais Method® and its application to performance. She previously taught in the music departments of Swarthmore College and Princeton University. Clark currently teaches in the music department of Sonoma State University and is the vocal teacher for the early music program at the USC Thornton School of Music. For performance updates, visit www.karenrclark.com.
