Exploring the Life and Work of Karen Ritscher (1952-2025)

Karen Ritscher’s influence on the viola world is unmeasurable, as she worked with so many students at institutions including the Manhattan School of Music, New York University, Rice University, Oberlin Conservatory, Boston University, numerous summer festivals, her contributions as a faculty member of the Karen Tuttle Coordination Workshops, her contributions to the 5Rhythms meditative dance practice and her work with exploring dance with both violists and dementia patients.
In addition to her teaching, Karen had a profound impact as a chamber musician, soloist, and in the orchestras that she performed with over the course of her career. This included serving as principal violist for the Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera and Brooklyn Philharmonic, and as assistant principal for the American Composers Orchestra. She also performed with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, New York City Ballet Orchestra, and the New York City Opera Orchestra.

As a concerto soloist, Karen appeared with such orchestras as the Westchester Philharmonic, the Dallas Chamber Orchestra, the Colonial Symphony of New Jersey, the Texas Music Festival Orchestra and the Texas Chamber Symphony.
Ritscher was a member of the Aureus Piano Quartet the Azure Ensemble, a chamber group that features the work of living female composers. She commissioned and performed new works by composers such as by Bruce Adolphe, Wendy Mae Chambers, Linda Bouchard, Tan Dun, Chen Yi, Bright Sheng, Alice Shields and Gabriela Lena Frank. She recorded the complete works for viola and piano by Ernest Bloch.

This presentation is meant to be part panel, part open forum, so that those who had the opportunity to work with her can share their experiences and memories. This will also be a chance for those who did not get to work with Karen Ritscher directly to learn a little bit more about her life and work, the legacy that she leaves behind.