Karl Pedersen
Gay Su Pinnell Chair
Karl Pedersen joined the Columbus Symphony as Principal Viola at the start of the 2011-12 season. In the summer, Karl performs at the Chautauqua Institution in New York as a member of the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra. Previously, he was rotating Principal Violist of the New World Symphony in Miami, FL for three years and was Principal Viola of the Breckenridge Music Festival for two years. He has recorded and performed with the Kansas City Symphony and performed with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Richmond Symphony, Cedar Rapids Symphony, and Quad Cities Symphony Orchestra. He has served as Concertmaster with the Oskaloosa and Ottumwa Symphony Orchestras.
Born in Kansas City, MO, Karl received his Bachelor of Music at the University of Iowa under Christine Rutledge. He completed his Master of Music at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University as a student of Victoria Chiang and former Philadelphia Orchestra violist, Stephen Wyrczynski.
In 2016, Karl performed a Showcase Performance Recital at the American Viola Society Festival at Oberlin College. He has performed the Bartok Viola Concerto with the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra and Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with the New Albany Symphony Orchestra. He previously enjoyed the role of Sancho Panza in a performance of Strauss’ Don Quixote with the Columbus Symphony.
An avid chamber musician, Karl is a former member of the Meridian String Quartet, which held residencies from 2008-2011 at the Strings Music Festival in Steamboat Springs, CO. Outside the United States, he has performed in France, Spain, and the Dominican Republic, and he has appeared on stage preceding speeches by Colin Powell and Oprah.
In 2005 and 2006, Karl was awarded the Peabody Career Development Grant. His chamber music performances can be heard on Performance Today on public radio. He is currently on faculty at Ohio Wesleyan University, and he has been a Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC) Columbus Makes Art featured artist since 2015.