BIO
On the concert stage, Ms. Albert has sung a variety of works, including Edward Elgar’s Sea Pictures (Gaylord Community Orchestra) and Libby Larsen’s Raspberry Island Dreaming (Alpena Symphony Orchestra.) Oratorio and other concert credits as soloist include works by Bach (Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, Wo gehest du hin?, and Magnificat), Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem, John Rutter's Requiem, Beethoven Symphony No. 9, Saint-Saens' Oratorio de Noel, and Handel's Utrecht Te Deum.
Karen has been a featured artist in concert and lecture series throughout the Grand Rapids area, including the Music at Midday series at Park Church, Music Matters lecture/concert series at Cornerstone University, and Music in the Heights concert series at Alger Park Church. Other notable solo engagements include performances at Little Stone Church (Mackinac Island, MI), historic St. Lorenz Lutheran Church (Frankenmuth, MI), Fountain Street Church (Grand Rapids, MI), LaGrave Reformed Church (Grand Rapids, MI) St. Marks Episcopal Church (Grand Rapids, MI), and First United Methodist Church (Grand Rapids, MI).
In addition to her work as a soloist, Karen is also a member of Grand Rapids' premiere professional choral ensemble Vox GR. Notable solos with the group include Lili Boulanger's Hymne au Soleil as well as Monteverdi's Lamento della ninfa. She has appeared as an ensemble member with Red Shift Choir of Baton Rouge, LA, and has been featured as a young artist with the Pine Mountain Music Festival. Karen also received training in choral singing from the Seraphic Fire Professional Choral Institute at the prestigious Aspen Music Festival in Aspen, CO.
Recent opera and musical theater credits include the role of "Queen Priss" in The Balachian Prince (workshop recording), “Katisha” in The Mikado (CMU Opera Theater), “Mrs. McClean” in Susannah (West Michigan Opera Project), “Carmen” from Carmen in an opera scenes collage (Operaret), “Cio Cio San’s Mother” in Madama Butterfly (Soo Opera), “The Sandman” in Hansel and Gretel (Comic Opera Guild), and “June” in a recorded version of Victor Herbert’s The Girl in the Spotlight (Comic Opera Guild). Karen has also performed as a chorus member for various opera productions with Opera Grand Rapids, Pine Mountain Music Festival, and Michigan State University Opera Theater.
As a musicologist, Ms. Albert has given paper presentations on French-Canadian folk song literature at conferences in Calgary, AB, Canada and Chicago, IL. She has also presented lecture recitals on various topics, including theological interpretations of J.S. Bach’s oratorio arias and the parallels between ancient and modern vocal literature. She holds master's degrees in musicology and voice performance from Michigan State University and Central Michigan University.
Karen has been a staff singer with historic Park Church in Grand Rapids, MI, and with the Diocese of Grand Rapids. She has taught music history and vocal courses at Cornerstone University and Alma College, and she has also taught voice students at both the Michigan State University and Central Michigan University Community Music Schools. Currently, Karen teaches a studio of voice students at Calvin University.
Upcoming engagements for the 2024/25 season include concerts with Vox GR, a recital of works by Gustav and Alma Mahler at Park Church, as well as the featured soloist for Libby Larsen's Raspberry Island Dreaming with the Dexter Community Orchestra.