Ms. Karena M. Ferrier

Karena Ferrier began Suzuki violin studies at Lake Superior Suzuki Talent Education at age three with her mother, Nancy Lokken, and later added Suzuki piano studies with SAA teacher trainer Mary Ann Swallum.

She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance from St. Olaf College where she was the winner of concerto competitions with both the St. Olaf Philharmonia and the St. Olaf Orchestra. Her graduate studies at the University of Minnesota included violin performance with Sally O’Reilly and long term Suzuki Pedagogy with Mark Bjork. During her graduate studies she also served as a teaching assistant for undergraduate music theory courses. Her studies also include summers at the Aspen Music Festival, Bravo! Summer Music Festival at the University of Minnesota, and the Chatauqua Institute in New York. Her Suzuki Pedagogy studies have continued with Suzuki Teacher Trainers Kay Collier Slone, Ed Kreitman and Nancy Lokken.

Ms. Ferrier has been a violin instructor and collaborative pianist with Augsburg University Suzuki Talent Education (AUSTE) since 1998. She was one of the teachers who performed and taught in Spanish schools on the AUSTE Tour to Spain, and served as the collaborative pianist for the 2010 Mexico Tour for performances in Mexico City, Santa Fe, Morelia, and Guadalajara.

Ms. Ferrier is a freelance accompanist in the Twin Cities. In addition, she is a faculty member at the MacPhail Center for Music in the Sing, Play, Learn Department, and performs as violist around town.

Ms. Ferrier is a Suzuki parent to Haley Rose, a young cellist.