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Cellist Karen Becker is an active soloist and avid chamber player, having performed throughout the United States as well as in Europe, Mexico and Puerto Rico. She serves as faculty artist with the Ameropa Chamber Music Festival in Praque, performing in a series of concerts in various venues throughout the city such as the prestigious Suk Hall at the Rudolfinum, Martinu Hall at the Academy of Music, and the Hall of Mirrors at the Klementinum. She also serves as faculty artist with the Red Lodge Music Festival in Montana. Becker is a former member of the Omega String Quartet, quartet-in-residence for Lutheran Music Program, and former principal cellist of both the Melkus Ensemble and the International String Orchestra. She has appeared as soloist and principal cellist with the Texas Cello Choir at national conventions as well as on “Front Row Center”, a Texas Public Television program. She tours regularly as a soloist and chamber player and is a member of the piano trio, Trio Nuovo, with pianist Mark Clinton and violinist Anton Miller. Dr. Becker is a past president of both the Nebraska and Missouri chapters of the American String Teachers. She has served on national committees of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA) and was on the planning committee for the 2005 ASTA convention. In February 2005 she received the Citation for Leadership & Merit from ASTA. She has conducted several orchestras in the University of Texas String Project and continues to serve as a clinician and guest conductor for high school orchestras and cellists throughout the United States. She also enjoys teaching in Suzuki workshops throughout the Midwest. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and the Bachelor of Music degree from Ohio University. Dr. Becker’s teachers have included her father David Becker, Leighton Conkling, Roger Drinkall, and internationally renowned string pedagogue Phyllis Young. She has served as cello professor on the faculty of Truman State University and as String Project teacher at the University of Texas. Becker is Associate Professor of Cello at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and is principal cellist of the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra.
