Karen Ritscher is an American violist and academic. She is on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music,

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

and Boston University. She has performed and taught in the United States, Asia and Europe. She is a certified 5Rhythms® Movement teacher, she has led workshops and clinics, often combining the exploration of movement with the art of self-expression as a musician. Ritscher served as the Principal Violist for both the Dallas Opera and the Houston Grand Opera and the Assistant Principal for the American Composers Orchestra. She has performed with the

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (founded in 1972) is a classical music chamber orchestra based in New York City. They have won several Grammy Awards, and are known for their collaborative leadership style in which the musicians, not a conductor, i ...

, the Houston Symphony,

New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company's fir ...

Orchestra and the

New York City Opera The New York City Opera (NYCO) is an American opera company located in Manhattan in New York City. The company has been active from 1943 through its 2013 bankruptcy, and again since 2016 when it was revived. The opera company, dubbed "the peopl ...

Orchestra. She has been a member of the Aureus Piano Quartet the Azure Ensemble as well as playing in many other chamber music ensembles and festivals. She has commissioned and performed new works by composers such as by Chen Yi, Bruce Adolphe and Gabriela Lena Frank. Ritscher has served on the faculties of Rice University, the

Mannes College of Music The Mannes School of Music (), originally called the David Mannes Music School and later the Mannes Music School, Mannes College of Music, the Chatham Square Music School, and Mannes College: The New School for Music, is a Music school, music con ...

, Oberlin Conservatory and the

Eastman School of Music The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York, United States. Established in 1921 by celebrated industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman, it was the ...

. She has served on the faculty of the Karen Tuttle Coordination Workshop since its inception. She was the string consultant for Madeline Bruser's book, "The Art of Practicing; A Guide to Making Music from the Heart."

References

American classical violists American women classical musicians American women violists Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Manhattan School of Music faculty Place of birth missing (living people) {{violist-stub