KARIN NORLEN  (viola) » 

Biography
Karin is currently on trial for principal viola with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. She has also worked as guest principal violist with the RTE Concert Orchestra in Ireland, and as co-principal violist with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and Brandenburg Sinfonia. Karin works regularly as a freelance player with orchestras in London and the rest of the UK, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra and English National Opera. She is Artistic Director of the new concert series 'Chamber Music in Little Venice'. Her chamber music partners have included principal players from the LPO, ROH and RSNO.

Karin has been awarded scholarships from the Swedish Royal Academy of Music on three occasions. In October 2007, she was one of six musicians selected as a semi-finalist in the prestigious Swedish competition Ljunggrenska Tävlingen where her playing was broadcast on Swedish Radio P2. As a teacher her work includes LPO Education and Rugby School as violin and viola teacher.

Karin studied the violin and viola at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, the Jerusalem Academy of Music and the Birmingham Conservatoire. As a violinist she played in master classes for violinists including Ivry Gitlis and Yfrah Neaman and performed in concerts in Israel, England, Wales, Sweden and the USA. Having switched from violin to viola in 2003, she went on to complete the Conservatoire's Advanced Postgraduate Diploma course in June 2006 as a student of Rivka Golani, where she performed the Bartok Viola Concerto with orchestra. She has continued her viola studies with lessons and master classes for teachers including Alexander Zemtsov, Paul Silverthorne, Garfield Jackson, Thomas Riebl and Lars-Anders Tomter.

Karin is also very interested in visual art. During her music studies in Jerusalem she studied art at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. She has exhibited her work in the UK and Sweden.

Orchestral Work
Orchestras: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Brandenburg Sinfonia, Chameleon Arts Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, English National Opera Orchestra, London Concert Orchestra, London Musical Arts Orchestra (LMA Orchestra), London Philharmonic Orchestra, Musical Associates (UK) Limited, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra. Education Work: London Philharmonic Orchestra Education.

Karin's orchestral work also includes London Symphony Orchestra, London Sinfonietta, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the CBSO Training Scheme (2004-2005), freelance work with Camerata Roman in Sweden (2000), Birmingham Conservatoire Orchestras (principal viola), RTE Concert Orchestra.

Education
Karin's schooling took place at Swedish School of Kenya, Nairobi (1995-98).
Karin's graduate studies took place at

• Birmingham Conservatoire (Pgdip (2003-2004); MMus (2004-2005); Advanced PGdip (2005 - 2006)
• Jerusalem Rubin Academy of Music (violin, 1999-2003)
• The Royal Danish Academy of Music (violin, 1998-1999)

Prizes and Awards

• Herbert Lumby competition for viola players (1st prize)
• Scholarship prize winner - the Swedish Royal Academy of Music, Stockholm, 2005 and 2007
• Scholarships from the Birmingham Conservatoire Association
• Recipient of the cultural scholarship from the city of Oskarshamn, Sweden

Teachers: Rivka Golani, Ora Shiran, Avy Abramovitch.

Masterclasses: Philip Dukes, Garfield Jackson, Yfrah Neaman, Ivry Gitlis, Alexander Zemtsov.

Karin joined Morgensterns in October 2007

Karin's web profile was last updated 19th May 2012