Karin Hendrickson is a conductor equally at home with opera and orchestra. For the upcoming season and Covid-permitting, she will lead the Belgium National Symphony, BBC Philharmonic, the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, Orchestre national d’Ile de France and the BBC Concert Orchestra, as well as productions of Brundibar for The London Mozart Players, and Paris and Helena for Bampton Opera. For 2019-2020, Karin was one of three conductors invited as the Atelier des Créatrices d’Opéra Conductor Participant at the Festival Aix-en-Provence (Academie), France, and was subsequently awarded the prestigious European Network of Opera Academies Young Conductor Residency, selected from a pool of nominated candidates across institutions including the Dutch National Opera (Netherlands), Snape Maltings (England), Helsinki Festival (Finland), and Opera Narodowa (Poland). Other conducting highlights include Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (USA), Nashville Symphony Orchestra (USA), Kammersymphonie Graz (Austria), Orchestra Sinfônica da USP (Brazil), Sao Paulo Symphony (Brazil), London Mozart Players (UK) and multiple appearances with the Royal Northern Sinfonia (UK) and the Southbank Sinfonia (London).
Karin was previously Assistant Conductor at the Royal Northern Sinfonia in England (Lars Vogt, Music Director). Often called to assist other conductors on large projects, the list includes standing in for Lorenzo Viotti/The Gulbenkian Orchestra’s complete singer and orchestral preparation of Eugene Onegin when Viotti was called to replace Yannick Nézet-Séguin with 2 days notice at the Berlin Philharmonic in March; hired to assist Vladimir Jurowski and the London Philharmonic Orchestra at their recent Proms appearance; and assisting Marin Alsop at the Proms with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Karin was then engaged as Assistant Conductor for Alsop’s first international tour as Music Director of the Sao Paulo Symphony and their debut at the BBC Proms and Snape Proms (England), the Rheingau Musik Festiva (Germany), and the Concertgebouw (Amsterdam), as well as being called to assist Alsop’s performances at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Opera credits include Music Director for the premiere and tour of Opera for the Unknown Woman (Melanie Wilson/Fuel Opera), Music Director for Bloomsbury Opera, Chorus Master for The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Karin was also Assistant Conductor for the Longborough Festival Opera’s production of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena (Jeremy Silver, Music Director), and will return for their production of Carmen in 2022.
Karin maintains a growing international profile as an exceptional orchestra pedagogue. Appointments include: Ghent Music Conservatorium, Belgium for both opera and orchestra; the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland; the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain; the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; preparation of the London Symphony Orchestra/Guildhall School Orchestra Artistry candidates side-by-side for Michael Tilson-Thomas; and preparation for Lorenzo Viotti and the Gulbenkian Orchestra a side-by-side with conservatory-level players for a Mahler 3 in Portugal. Past appointments include: leading the NYO INSPIRE Orchestra Summer Tour; preparation for Gustavo Dudamel with the Barbican Centre’s collaboration between the London Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic youth orchestras; being a visiting conductor for the Royal Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra and Marin Alsop on Britten’s War Requiem for the Southbank Centre at Royal Festival Hall (Royal Philharmonic Society Award for Learning and Participation); and three Guest Artist appointments to lead the North Carolina School of the Arts performances of Bernstein’s MASS, 10 full performances of The Nutcracker, and a recorded film version of The Nutcracker ballet. Maintaining her work with opera and young singers, Karin has also been Music Director for Garsington Youth Opera at Garsington Opera and at The Royal Opera House Out Loud Festival, and has twice led the CBSO Shenley Academy programme. She has also taught masterclasses and workshops in conducting, musicianship, or orchestral training for die MUK: Musik und Kunst der Stadt Wien (Austria), The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, The Royal Philharmonic Society Women’s Conductors program, The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, The Catholic University (U.S.A.), Wellington College (U.K.), and has served on Composition Competition panels for the Royal Northern Sinfonia, and has led the Conducting for Composers workshops at the Southbank Centre.
Beginning piano at age 3 in the Suzuki method, Karin’s completed first studies in piano performance. When just 15 years of age, Karin submitted music for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games – the music was chosen to be the official Olympic Torch Relay Theme Song, and was recorded by Aretha Franklin and released on NBC Records. She has also premiered and accompanied multiple solo performances by up-and-coming international composers and artists, as well as playing for opera rehearsals and dance performances.
Graduating with Distinction from the conducting program at Britain’s Royal Academy of Music, Karin was twice named a Gordon Foundation winner, receiving the Fred Southall Memorial Prize in her final year. Further awards include talent grants during her studies at the Peabody Conservatory, an award to train at the Mozarteum, Salzburg under conductor Peter Gülke (2014 Siemens Prize winner), and two awards of support from the European Network of Opera Academies. Karin was nominated in 2015 for the Nestle-Salzburg Young Conductors award, and was honored to have Marin Alsop’s mentorship through the Taki-Alsop Fellowship programme. Karin began her conducting career in the United States as Assistant Conductor to the professional choir Choralis, and also their award-winning chamber choir, Echos, while singing in both. When she moved to the UK to train at the Royal Academy of Music, she continued singing with the London Philharmonic Choir under conductors Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Vladimir Jurowski.