Biography - Karen Dore

A native of Southern Ireland, Karen began her formal musical training at the Limerick School of Music, where she studied violin, piano and clarinet with Eileen Hudson, Moira Gray and Tom Cantillon respectively. Throughout her school years, Karen was awarded many prizes in both local and national competitions for clarinet, solo piano and accompaniment. She was a keen orchestral player, performing regularly with the National Youth Orchestra of Ireland and the Irish Youth Wind Ensemble.

Karen continued her musical education at the Cork School of Music, where she studied piano with Eleanor Malone and Jan Cap, and graduated with a Bachelor of Music Degree (Hons), and a Masters Degree (Hons), specialising in piano performance. She also continued her clarinet studies with Brian O'Rourke and Pat O'Keefe, and was awarded an ATCL diploma in clarinet performance. During her time in Cork, Karen was regularly employed as rehearsal pianist and assistant conductor for productions at the Cork Opera House and the Everyman Palace Theatre. As accompanist for the University College of Cork Choral Society, she enjoyed regular trips to Europe to compete in International Choral Festivals.

In 2004, Karen was awarded a place at the Royal Academy of Music in London, and graduated in 2005 with a Postgraduate Diploma in Performance (specialising in piano accompaniment) and an LRAM diploma in piano teaching. At the Academy, Karen studied with Clifford Benson and Malcolm Martineau and gained invaluable experience in the fields of vocal and instrumental accompaniment and chamber music.

Karen is presently based in St Albans, and enjoys a varied musical life as a piano and clarinet tutor, accompanist and chamber musician.