"Led by the wide emotional spectrum of Karen R. Clark’s contralto, the shimmering resonance of
Vajra Voices' elegantly paced performance is delightful." Rebecca Tavener, Choir & Organ
Founder and director of Vajra Voice's, Karen R. Clark has performed and recorded with world renown ensembles, to include, Sequentia, Boston Camerata, Project Are Nova, Waverly Consort, New York Early Music, Pomerium Musices, and Joshua Rifkin's Bach Ensemble. Karen holds degrees from the Indiana University School of Music where she studied with the legendary artists Virginia Zeani, and Thomas Binkley. In new music, Karen has premiered works by Joseph Schwantner, Ben Johnston, Fred Frith, and Roy Whelden. Her recording with the Galax Quartet, On Cold Mountain: Songs on Poems of Gary Snyder (Innova) was the culmination of concerts with the Pulitzer Poet, Gary Snyder. Joshua Kosman (San Francisco Chronicle) wrote,“It’s mesmerizing in it’s unplaceable timelessness. Clark’s majestic, throaty singing hints of modernist extravagance and medieval troubadours.”
A devoted voice teacher and practitioner of the Feldenkrais Method®, Karen has developed a somatic approach to vocal instruction which she offers in classes and workshops, and, which she implements in her work with Vajra Voices. Karen R. Clark has served as private voice instructor and ensemble director in the music schools and departments of UC Berkeley, USC Thornton School of Music, Sonoma State University, Swarthmore College, and Princeton University. Karen's lecture/demonstrations, workshops and classes have been hosted by The Jung Institute, San Francisco; Chanticleer Workshops in Sonoma, Grace Cathedral Camerata Choir, The San Francisco Choral Society, San Francisco Early Music Society, The Madison Festival, Amherst Early Music, and Stanford University. |