Karen Kirk began her harp studies while attending Lowell High School in San Francisco, California. She studied at the University of California, Santa Barbara, with summers at the Music Academy of the West, and continued in the Graduate Studies program with renowned harpist and teacher Lucile Lawrence at Boston University and the Tanglewood Institute in Massachusetts.
Ms. Kirk spent two seasons as principal harpist of the Orquesta Sinfonica del Estado de México, followed by five seasons with the Houston Symphony Orchestra, Houston Pops, and Houston Grand Opera. Since returning home to California in 1986, Karen performed with the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Opera Orchestra, San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, San Jose Symphony, Carmel Bach Festival, Mendicino Music Festival, and Cabrillo Music Festivals. She is currently principal harpist for the Monterey Symphony and Opera San Jose and harp instructor at San Jose State University and Santa Clara University. She now lives full-time in Bozeman, MT where she maintains a private teaching and coaching studio and appears with the Bozeman Symphony, Missoula Symphony, and Helena Symphony.
Collaborations
Maia Julianne Thielen is a soprano based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Classically trained, Maia enjoys singing a variety of styles. She is particularly interested in Germanic, Celtic, and English art and folk song.
Karen partnered with Tadeu Coelho to produce their album, Azules. They appeared in recital together in Santa Clara, CA and Kansas City, MO for the album’s release. Read more about Tadeu and his impressive career here.
Karen Julie Kirk 