A native of Livonia, Michigan, Ms. Karl started playing violin in the first grade. After only a month of lessons, the violin teacher told her parents that she "didn't have an ear for music" and recommended they stop the lessons. Her parents, not understanding music, followed the teacher's advice but kept her in piano lessons. When she was about 11, Ms. Karl's mother brought home a violin from a garage sale. Ms. Karl picked it up and began applying her piano knowledge to the violin. A year or so later, her mother brought a cello home from a garage sale and she immediately fell in love with it. Her senior year of high school, her father, a native of Germany, took her to Germany to purchase a higher quality cello. This is still the cello she plays today - and she still has the garage sale violin and frequently plays it while teaching!

Ms. Karl earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Michigan Earl V. Moore School of Music. While at Michigan, she studied cello with Jerome Jelinek, music education with James Froseth, and string pedagogy with Robert Culver. Following graduation, she moved to Atlanta, Georgia to teach in the Atlanta Public Schools where she co-conducted the Elementary Encore Honor Orchestra, managed the All-City Youth Orchestra, was a clinician for the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA) District V Orchestra Clinic, directed the choir and played cello in the band at her church. Ms. Karl earned a Master of Music in Music Education from the University of Georgia. After earning her masters degree, Ms. Karl moved back to her home town and began teaching orchestra in the Livonia Public Schools. While in Livonia, she also taught sixth grade band, K-6 general music, and directed several pit orchestras for musicals such as Bye, Bye Birdie and Peter Pan. She once sprayed her hair hot pink for the Orchestra's Rock Concert.

In 2006, Ms. Karl moved to Reno Nevada to teach orchestra in the Washoe County School District. Since in WCSD, Ms. Karl has taught at North Valleys High School, O'Brien Middle School, Damonte Ranch High School, Traner Middle School, and Winnemucca, Sun Valley, Whitehead elementary schools. From 2006-2018, she was the Lead Teacher of the Reno Philharmonic Association Kids (RPAK), and after school violin and Mariachi program. In 2011, she became the orchestra teacher at Kendyl Depoali Middle School. Ms. Karl is a National Board Certified Teacher.

Professional Memberships

• ASTA - American String Teachers Association
• NAfME - National Association for Music Education
• NMEA - Nevada Music Educators Association
• NEA/WEA - National Education Association & Washoe Education Association

Leadership Positions

• WCSD Orchestra Professional Learning Community Co-Chair (2015-present)
• WCSD Middle School Honor Orchestra Co-Chair (2016-2023)
• Nevada State Board of Education Model Curriculum Writing Committee (2022, 2023)
• NMEA Solo & Ensemble Chair for the Washoe Zone (2008-2018) and Northern Zone (2014-2018)
• Nevada State Board of Education Fine Arts Standards Review Committee (2017)
• NMEA All-State Command Performance Chair (2009-2014)
• ASTA National Conference Presenter (2014, 2016, 2022)
• Nevada ASTA Cello/Bass Day Chair (2012-13)

Professional Development, Continuing Education, and Awards

• Suzuki Association of the Americas - Violin Book 1a and 1b Teacher Training
• American String Workshop - Ann Arbor, MI
• Stringed Instrument Repair - Vandercook College of Music, Chicago IL
• African Drumming Class - University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
• German Language Classes - The Goethe Institute, Düsseldorf, Germany
• American String Teachers Association National Conferences - annually 2005-present
• Nevada Music Educators Association 2010 "New Music Teacher of the Year" award recipient