Karen Sremac

As a performer, Karen Sremac has been the principal clarinetist of the Santa Cruz Symphony since 1990 and principal clarinetist in West Edge Opera since 2015.  She performs on all the clarinets including Bb, A, Eb, and bass. 

She has performed in many orchestras including the San Francisco Ballet and Opera, San Jose Symphony, Symphony Silicon Valley, and now Symphony San Jose, San Jose Ballet, Carmel Bach Festival, Midsummer Mozart, Heidelberg Germany Festival, West Bay Opera, Monterey Symphony, and Marin Symphony.  She has performed under the batons of many great conductors including Michael Tilson Thomas, Leonard Bernstein, Eric Leindsdorf, Herbert Bloomstedt and recently, LeonardSlatkin.

Karen performed many years in the Violeto Trio, and arranged music for the unique combination of VIOLin-clarinET-cellO and has also been honored to perform as soloist with many groups including the Rochester Philharmonic, Santa Cruz Symphony, Master Sinfonia, Palo Alto Symphony, Redwood Symphony, and in Europe with the Daniel String Quartet.  

Karen has previously been on the faculty at the College of Notre Dame, Belmont, and Santa Clara University. 

Karen received her performer’s certificate and Master of Music (clarinet) from the Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Stanley Hasty. She received her Bachelor of Music (clarinet) from USC, where she studied with Mitchell Lurie. She began her undergraduate studies at Occidental College. Karen also studied clarinet extensively with David Breeden, Don Carroll, David Neuman of the San Francisco Symphony, and Rosario Mazzeo of the Boston Symphony.