BIOGRAPHY

Born in Sweden and partly raised in the Middle East and Africa, Karin Norlén is a versatile and internationally recognised viola player, chamber musician, and teacher.

She is a founder member of the Little Venice Ensemble; a collective of internationally acclaimed musicians in Sweden and the UK. The group’s first CD “Deck the Halls”, released in 2014, was praised by audiences and music critics alike. Awarded five stars by the Sunday Mirror, it was also named runner up Christmas Disc of the Year by Classic FM.

Fascinated by the neurological and psychological benefits of learning a musical instrument at any age, Karin is dedicated to teaching pupils of all ages and abilities. She has given masterclasses and adjudicated competitions internationally, most recently in China, and has recorded educational material for the ABRSM and Oxford University Press.

Alongside her career as a performer, she has recently embarked on conducting studies with Hilary Davan-Wetton. She has taken part in conducting master classes for Peter Stark and at the Panula Academy in Helsinki with Jorma Panula.

Karin’s global upbringing has taught her to value the importance of music as a bridge-builder in political conflict and the hope, joy, pleasure and solace it can give those who learn to play and those who listen. For these reasons she is passionate about using my musical skills to make lives better in a non-political way; be it through fundraising for charity by performing or through teaching.

Karin is also a visual artist and designer. During her violin studies in Jerusalem, she studied drawing and lithography at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design. She has exhibited work in the UK and Sweden and has now launched Inspired by Music; a new art/homeware collection for musicians and music lovers.

Karin plays on a viola made for her by David Milward in 2019.