Dr. Karen Gustafson, a native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is currently residing in Red Deer, Alberta with her husband and several furry family members where she enjoys camping and spending time gardening and continues teaching at Burman University. She taught at Red Deer College where she conducted the Symphonic Winds taught Trumpet, Winds Master Class, Chamber Music, and The Business of Music She retired as Associate Professor of Music at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2016. There, she was director of the Wind Symphony and Trumpet Studio, Brass Ensembles, and taught Women in Music. She has been fortunate to extend her career across the USA and Canada as well as in Asia and Australia to work with ensembles of varied skill level, from beginner to college. She has performed from Italy to Malaysia to Australia and across the Americas as a trumpet soloist and with the Borealis Brass as well as an orchestral and chamber musician. Currently she performs with the Central Alberta Chamber Players and regularly performs in professional ensembles in the area such as the Red Deer Symphony, Rocky Mountain Symphony, and Altius Brass. Other performance credits include performing at the International Alliance of Women in Music, the Bach Chamber Players of St. Paul (Minnesota), and the Minnesota Orchestra. Dr. Gustafson has also performed and/or presented clinics at the Alberta Music Educators Conference, UNESCO World Forum on Music (Los Angeles), the International Women’s Brass Conference, and the International Trumpet Guild Conference. Unique and original music for brass and chamber ensemble are released on albums “Pacific Crossings” (2017, featuring Malaysian gamelon) and the Borealis Brass “Roman Holidays” (2010, world music by women composers.)In July 2019 she performed at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Miami, Florida presenting new works from the Estonian Trumpet Literature. During these COVID times the Central Alberta Chamber Ensemble has performed numerous outdoor concerts in all styles, from classical to pop to country, in Red Deer for the community. Dr. Gustafson holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota, a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University (Illinois,) a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Victoria (B.C.), and a diploma in Orchestra Performance from The Royal Conservatory, Toronto.
