Biography

Karen (Long) Nevins acquired her Bachelor of Music Education (Voice/Piano minor) and her Masters Degree in Choral Performance from Eastern Michigan University. In 1993, Karen began her public school teaching career in Grass Lake Public Schools, where she taught K-12 Vocal Music. In 1995, she took a position at Lincoln Consolidated Schools (Ypsilanti), beginning with three high school choirs and K-2 General Music. By 1996, Karen expanded the high school program to five choirs in four classes, to include entry level choirs: Women's Chorus, Men of Lincoln; and select auditioned choirs: Concert Choir Women, Lincoln Concert Choir and Split Dimensions (Women), and filling out her schedule with a Piano/Theory class. Each year since ince 1996, her choirs have been recognized with superior ratings at both District and State Festival levels. Her students have achieved positions in the Michigan School Vocal Musical Association's Regional, State and All-State Honors Choirs, and in M.E.N.C. National Honors Choirs.

Mrs. Nevins has taught voice and piano privately in her home studio since 1984. Her students have been recognized with superior ratings at M.S.V.M.A. Solo and Ensemble Festivals and at National Association of Teachers of Singing (N.A.T.S.) State and Regional competitions. She taught at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in 2001 and she became adjunct instructor of Applied Voice and Secondary Music Methods at Adrian College through 2006. She has been recognized in several publications of “Who's Who of America's Teachers.”

A mezzo-soprano/alto soloist since 1985, Mrs. Nevins has soloed with church, community, and university choirs. In 1992, she received recognition in both State and Great Lakes Regional N.A.T.S. competitions and currently serves as Treasure of N.A.T.S.-Michigan. As an undergraduate student at E.M.U., she won the 1992 Voice Area Concerto Competition. Nevins soloed regularly with E.M.U ensembles throughout her undergraduate and graduate studies. She also performed in numerous E.M.U. Opera Workshops. In 1997, she soloed in Carnegie Hall under the direction of Dr. Leonard Riccinto and Sir David Willcocks. Today she performs oratorio and opera throughout southeast Michigan.

In 2001 as she prepared for her Masters Degree choral recital, Mrs. Nevins became the founding director of The Carillon Women's Chorale. Rehearsals were hosted at Washtenaw Community College as part of their Lifetime Learning Program. With an aversion to a vast array of treble choir literature, Nevins performed extensive research of the composers and young women musicians of the Venetian Ospedali of Venice, Italy. This research inspired her to perform her 2002 E.M.U. Masters Degree recital with Carillon Women's Chorale and Lincoln's Split Dimensions in an antiphonal setting of Nicholai Porpora's Magnificat with orchestra. Carillon's repertoire list can be found on the Carillon Chorale website. The choir rehearsed at W.C.C. until 2006, when Mrs. Nevins moved rehearsals to her home turf at Lincoln High School. Today, Lincoln female alums continue their choral experiences as members of Carillon Women's Chorale. The chorale is comprised of excellent voices of all ages. They will be touring to Prague, Vienna, Salsburg, and Heidelburg in 2010.

Mrs. Nevins has been active in the M.S.V.M.A. since her induction as adjudicator/clinician in 1992. She has also served as clinician for the Northville Women's Choral Festival, at special MS and HS choral events and in public and private Michigan schools. In 1999, she was awarded the M.S.V.M.A. Carolyn Leep Scholarship. Over the years, Mrs. Nevins has adjudicated District and State Choral Festivals as well as Regional and State Honors Choir auditions. She served two years as District 12 Manager and four years as Treasurer. She has hosted numerous M.S.V.M.A. festivals, Regional Honors Choir auditions, and SSAA State Honors Choir rehearsals and State Solo and Ensemble Festivals. Mrs. Nevins was elected by her MSVMA collagues to conduct the 2007 Regional Honors Choir at Roscommon High School and the 2008 State SSAA Honors Choir in DeVos Auditorium, Grand Rapid, MI. She was also invited to conduct the 2008 Lenawee County Arts Festival Honors Choir at Adrian College.

As an active member of the American Choral Director's Association, Mrs. Nevins was invited to serve on the A.C.D.A.-Michigan Board, first as Repertoire and Standards Chair for Women's Choirs ('99-01). She then served as Secretary on the Executive Board and on the State Convention Committee (01-08). She became Editor of Bella Voce the ACDA-Michigan State publication and is currently on the ballot as President-Elect Designate.

She is a native of Blissfield where she and her husband, Ken, raised their three grown children, Christopher, Dana Patrick, and Heather. Today, precious moments are spent making memories with their married children and seven lovely and gifted grandchildren.