Teaching Artist (Violin)
Karen Bea has been a member of The Phoenix Symphony since 1999. A native of California, she grew up attending concerts by the San Francisco Symphony and taking lessons at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. She attended Indiana University, where she received a Bachelor of Music in Viola Performance. She continued her studies at Carnegie Mellon University, receiving a Master’s of Music in Viola Performance before winning a full-time position with the Phoenix Symphony. Karen has participated in many summer festivals, including the Spoleto Music Festival in Italy, the National Orchestral Institute in Maryland, the Assisi Performing Arts Festival in Italy, and she has been a member of the Britt Festival Orchestra in Oregon for 21 years. Here in Phoenix, she enjoys participating in chamber music performances in addition to her symphony work. She also has a private teaching studio, and serves as a sectional coach for many high school and youth orchestras around the valley. When not performing or teaching, she enjoys running marathons, reading, and spending time with her husband and daughter.
