Karen Holvik
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Karen Holvik is a classical soprano, currently on the faculty of the Eastman School of Music. She was the daughter of Karl Holvik who was Professor of Music at the University of Northern Iowa between 1947 and 1984, and Martha Holvik, who taught viola performance in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for many years.
Holvik was born in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She gained a Master's Degree in Music at the Eastman School of Music. During her career, she has taught music at Vassar College and New York University as well as spending five years as an Opera Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival.
She is well established as an opera singer with regional opera companies such as the Houston Grand Opera, Opera Illinois and Texas Opera Theatre. She has also sung in both Western Europe and Canada.
Her debut at the Avery Fisher Hall in the Richard Tucker Gala Concert was recorded by RCA Victor Red Seal and shown nationally on PBS. She debuted at Carnegie Hall singing Handel's Messiah.
Holvik has been a champion of contemporary American music having performed at the debuts of a number of American composers. She appeared with William Sharp and pianist Steven Blier on a New York Festival of Song released by Koch International Classics called Zipperfly & Other Songs by Marc Blitzstein.
