Karen Heath : Associate Artist
Photo: Zoey Pepper
Artist website: http://www.karen-heath.com
Artist website: http://www.thephonosproject.com
As an instrumental artist, Karen Heath has
worked with the Libra Ensemble, Aphids, Orchestra Victoria,
Sunwrae Ensemble, the Grand Silent System, Ennis Tola, the Phonos
Project, Arcko Symphonic Project, Gemma Turvey and the New Palm
Court Orchestra, has performed several times at the Melbourne
International Jazz Festival as well as the International Arts
Festival, performed and recorded for Lior as well as David
MacDonald (the Waifs) and has recorded and performed for film
score and numerous other freelance projects. In 2008, Karen
performed in Arcko Symphonic Project's performance of Andrew
Ford's Learning to Howl, nominated for an APRA award for
Best Performance of an Australian Classical Composition in
2009.
In 2011, Karen performed Elliot Gyger's 1996
concerto for E-flat clarinet A Wilderness
of Mirrors as a soloist with Arcko
Symphonic Project. The concerto was recorded by ABC Classic FM
and Karen's performance was described by presenter Stephen Adams
as 'virtuosic'. In 2014, Karen
participated in a tour with the New Palm Court Orchestra, which
included venues such as the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne
Recital Centre (guest artist was Berklee professor and 4-time
Grammy-winner, cellist Eugene Friesen from the USA).
Karen received her Master's degree in music
performance on clarinet in 2005, the research for which led her
to Europe where she received lessons from Wolfgang Meyer and
Suzanne Stephens. In 2005, Karen performed the seminal work by
Karlheinz Stockhausen, In
Freundschaft, at the annual Stockhausen
Course in Kürten, Germany, working with Stockhausen in rehearsal
and in performance, and winning the 2nd prize for her performance
that year. Returning in 2007, Karen performed again at the
Stockhausen Course, playing the heavily choreographed
Der Kleine Harlekin, for
which she received third prize.
As a composer, Karen won the Best Music Award at
the 2006 Melbourne Fringe Festival for her 50-minute memorised
and choreographed piece Ananke. Also in 2006, she toured
regional Australia with the Phonos Project, performing her work
Io, along with artist in residence, Swedish composer
Henrik Hansson, whose composition Stadium appeared on
the same program. Karen has had her works performed in Montreal
and Edinburgh (commission from by Piazza Contemporary Collective
2007), Tokyo (2009 and 2012) and Reykjavik (commission from Duo
Harpwerk 2009).
Karen Heath — current to September 2017
Selected Commissions
Work | Commission Details | |
---|---|---|
Silent spring : large chamber ensemble (2017) | Commissioned by Arcko Symphonic Ensemble. |