Where Are They Now? spotlights Minnesota Varsity Featured and Showcase Artists from 2011 to 2014.
Flutist Karen Baumgartner from Roseville, Minn., was a Minnesota Varsity 2011 and 2012 Featured Artist. She recently got in touch with Classical MPR's Christine Sweet to share her recent news.
Karen Baumgartner, 2011 and 2012 Featured Artist, Flute
Age: 21
Homewtown: Roseville, Minn.
Attends: Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind.
I remember first hearing about Minnesota Varsity and being excited to compete in it. As soon as it was open to apply, I submitted a recording and received an email back that day saying I was the very first entrant for the first Minnesota Varsity Competition. That year and the next year gave me some incredible opportunities. In each of those years, I had the opportunity to perform live in MPR. I had always heard, and continue to hear, performances on MPR from top professional groups all across the world. It is crazy to think that for a few moments in the two years I competed, everyone tuned into Minnesota Public Radio was listening me, a high school student who could typically only dream of sharing her music with such a big audience.
Since graduating high school, I have enjoyed pursuing my music career. Going to festivals and being at a music school has been incredibly rewarding. Every day when I go to class, I am surrounded by musicians who I know I will be running into later in life. There are so many incredibly talented people and it is such a thrill to be around them. Performing in orchestra, chamber ensembles, and premiering works are some of the things I have been blessed to be a part of at college and music festivals. Two summers ago, I was one of the winners in the concerto competition at Eastern Music Festival and this summer I was thrilled to be a winner again and have another amazing soloing opportunity. Besides these two opportunities I was also a winner of the Pellerite Orchestral Excerpt Competition at the Jacobs School of Music last year and was runner-up in the Woodwind Concerto competition as well. I am excited to compete in the Woodwind Concerto competition again this year and for all the other fabulous experiences that the school year will bring.
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