Karen Pierson

Area: Brass, Woodwinds & Percussion (Bassoon)
Karen Pierson

Karen Pierson is the Associate Professor of bassoon at The Ohio State University. In 1994. Karen accepted the position of second bassoon with the Houston Symphony. Throughout her thirteen year tenure with the HSO, Ms. Pierson made several recordings and toured Japan, Europe and the domestic United States. Each summer, Ms. Pierson performs with the Grand Teton Music Festival in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Prior to joining the Houston Symphony, Ms. Pierson taught bassoon at the University of Texas at Austin. She also appeared as soloist at the Interlochen National Music Camp and with university ensembles at the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) conference.

Karen began her professional career in 1991 as the principal bassoonist with the Omaha Symphony. She has attended and taught the All-State division at Interlochen National Music camp, attended and appeared as soloist with the Academy of the West in Santa Barbara and was a Tanglewood Fellow. In 1994, Karen won the second place prize of the Fernand Gillet International Double Reed Competition and has subsequently performed at the conference several times.

Ms. Pierson received a Master's degree in bassoon performance with Norman Herzberg at the University of Southern California and a Bachelor's degree in performance with Hugh Cooper at the University of Michigan.