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.

Karen has taught voice and piano 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. In 2001, Karen became adjunct instructor of Applied Voice at Adrian College. She taught at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in 2001. She has been recognized in several publications of “Who's Who of America's Teachers.”

A mezzo-soprano/alto soloist since 1985, Karen has soloed with church, community, and university choirs. In 1992, Karen placed 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, Karen became the founding director of The Carillon Women's Chorale, hosted at Washtenaw Community College as part of their Lifetime Learning Program. With an aversion to a vast array of treble choir literature, Karen performed extensive research of the composers and young women musicians of the Venetian Ospedali of Venice, Italy. This research inspired Karen 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 rehearses and performs at W.C.C.'s Towsley Auditorium located in the Morris Lawrence Building.

Karen has been active in the M.S.V.M.A. since her induction as adjudicator/clinician in1992. Karen has also served as clinician for the Northville Women's Choral Festival, at special choral events and in southeast Michigan schools. In 1999, she was awarded the M.S.V.M.A. Carolyn Leep Scholarship. Over the years, Karen 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 as Treasurer for four years. She has hosted numerous M.S.V.M.A. festivals, Regional Honors Choir auditions, and SSAA State Honors Choir rehearsals. Karen will conduct the 2007 Regional Honors Choir and the 2008 State SSAA Honors Choir.

In 1999-2001, Karen was invited to serve on the A.C.D.A.-Michigan Board as Repertoire and Standards Chair for Women's Choirs. She is currently serving her third two-year term as Executive Board Secretary. She is also on the A.C.D.A.-Michigan Fall Convention committee.

Karen 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 six lovely and gifted grandchildren.