Karen Haid

Karen Haid began her musical life as a pianist, adding the flute to play in the school band. She liked the flute, but realized quickly that the American public school music program wasn't what it was cracked up to be, continuing nonetheless as an excuse to get out of physical education classes. She received a Diploma (with merit awards for flute, theory and solfège) from the Juilliard School's Preparatory Division, a Bachelor of Music magna cum laude and Master of Music from Boston University, and the Doctor of Music from Florida State University. Along the way she also studied composition and a few related instruments - the harpsichord, organ and Baroque flute.  Having performed in all manner of musical presentations, her longest stint as an ensemble musician was seven years as piccoloist with the Richmond (Virginia) Symphony. Teaching credentials include Virginia Commonwealth University, Florida State, and the University of Alaska, where her identification card sported a picture of a polar bear, the school's mascot.

Perhaps one of her more unusual accomplishments is the compact disc The Music of Walter Gieseking (Nimbus 5696) on which she is featured playing both the flute and piano, often simultaneously. The tracks were recorded without any studio tricks.

Karen also speaks Italian and German, and she spent several years teaching English in Calabria, Italy. Intrigued by the little-known region in the toe of the boot, she was inspired to write Calabria: The Other Italy, a non-fiction narrative that combines travelogue with an exploration of everyday life and culture. It is a Sons of Italy in America Book Club selection.

Articles by Karen Haid

The piano teacher everyone should have

Marching in the name of music

A performance by Operama

Edmund Bealby-Wright's 'This Farewell Symphony'

Pulitzer Prize-winning choral and orchestral music. '... an important and largely successful undertaking.'

Piano music by John Corigliano. 'Oppens and Lowenthal give strong performances of this music.'

Karen Haid experiences Roma Opera Omnia

Easy-listening in Rome's Quirinale Palace

Dvorák's 'Rusalka' at the Prague State Opera

The MÁV Symphony Orchestra with Zoltán Kocsis

Karen Haid was in Santa Fe for the Richard Strauss one-act opera

An evening of subtle brutality