Biography

Dutch violinist Karen Dekker grew up surrounded by music. Dedicated to all performance practices that music might call for, Karen performs regularly as a soloist, orchestral player and chamber musician with various ensembles on both baroque and modern violin throughout the United States and Europe.

 In recent performances, Karen has appeared as a soloist with Orchestra of Saint Luke’s at MassMoCa, Juilliard’s baroque ensemble J415 in a tour of New Zealand, and the American Classical Orchestra at New York’s Lincoln Center. Karen gave chamber music performances in William Christie’s gardens in Thiré, France and toured Europe with Les Arts Florissants and The Knights Chamber Orchestra. Karen can be heard on recordings with the Smithsonian Chamber Players of Mahler, Debussy and Busoni, Tchaikovsky with Orchestra of Saint Luke’s and Pablo Heras-Casado, several releases with the Händel and Haydn Society and Les Arts Florissants, as well as in Alexandre Desplat’s film score for “Little Women”. Upcoming engagements include performances with Tempesta di Mare in Philadelphia and Zerbst (Germany), the Carmel Bach Festival in Carmel-by-the-Sea (CA) and many other appearances in the US and beyond.

 Karen regularly performs with ensembles such as New York Baroque Incorporated, Orchestra of Saint Luke’s, American Classical Orchestra, The Knights, Händel and Haydn Society, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and several other ensembles. She is a member of Philadelphia’s Night Music Ensemble and Franklin Quartet and co-founder of chamber music series Listening in! in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Karen holds degrees from Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam, Manhattan School of Music and The Juilliard School. She lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and three children.