Karen Dreyfus has distinguished herself as a recipient of many prizes both in this country and abroad including the Naumburg Viola Competition (1982), the Lionel Tertis Competition (1980), the Washington International Competition (1979), and the Hudson Valley Competition (1978).

Ms. Dreyfus has concertized extensively in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and South America. Some of her musical collaborations have been with Musicians From Marlboro, Philomusica, Theater Chamber Players of the Kennedy Center, the New York Philharmonic, and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Karen Dreyfus has performed in recital with Yehudi Menuhin at Carnegie Hall and has also collaborated with such artists as Rudolf Serkin, Alexander Schneider, Leon Fleisher, Chick Corea, and her husband, Glenn Dicterow.

Born into a family of musicians, she began studying the violin with her father, a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra and later decided to pursue a career on the viola under the tutelage of Leonard Mogill. A 1979 graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music where she studied with Karen Tuttle and Michael Tree, Ms. Dreyfus moved to the New York area where she performs solo concerts, chamber music recitals, and teaches viola and chamber music.

In 1991, she was invited to join the viola and chamber music faculty of the Manhattan School of Music. Ms. Dreyfus also serves on the faculties of Third Street Music School Settlement, SUNY Purchase and Queens College. Karen Dreyfus is a co-founding member of the Lyric Piano Quartet which is Quartet-in-Residence at Queens College.

Karen Dreyfus has received a National Endowment for the Arts Solo Recitalists Award and has performed extensively throughout the United States. She has also recorded several CDs. Her premiere recording with Bridge Records entitled Romanze has been received with much critical acclaim. American Record Guide cites Ms. Dreyfus as “a terrific player with impeccable technique and intonation, beautiful tone, and real musicianship. Her playing is highly expressive and responsive to the many moods elicited by this varied program.”

In 1995 Karen Dreyfus was invited to Poland to record the William Walton Viola Concerto with the Warsaw Philharmonic. She also recorded works for viola and orchestra of eight American composers with the Silesian Philharmonic. In 1997 Ms. Dreyfus recorded and premiered three more solo works with the Czech Radio Symphony of Prague. These CDs will be released on the MMC label.

Ms. Dreyfus recently released two recordings. She recorded the Martinu Madrigals with Glenn Dicterow for Cala Records entitled New York Legends. The other is the William Walton Viola Concerto coupled with the McKinley 3rd Viola Concerto for MMC Recordings.