NK.

Performance practice

Violin

Having played violin since age five, Nadia Karpenko finds joy in communicating her own musical voice and exploring the works of others, whether as a soloist or in an ensemble.

Nadia Karpenko seated onstage while holding her violin.

Bio

Technical precision in service of musical expression.

Nadia Karpenko is a violinist who adores fiery music, but with time and maturity has come to appreciate the nuances of more peaceful melodies. She has served as a hired chamber music coach, performed improvised solos, and was a former concertmaster and concerto competition winner of the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra. Nadia was also a prizewinner in the Diablo Valley Young Artist Competition, and has made appearances across California as well as in Hawaii, Texas, Washington, Chicago, Ann Arbor, and Italy, including performances through Center Stage Strings. Community is essential to her work—she has volunteered to coach chamber music through her youth orchestra for 5 years, and performed at many senior homes and rehabilitation centers. A longtime student of Elbert Tsai, she currently studies violin performance with Professor Fabiola Kim at the University of Michigan. [See Full Bio]

Listen

Performances

Repertoire and Experience

Repertoire

Selected repertoire

Concerti
  • Beethoven — Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61 (with original cadenzas)
  • Dvořák — Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53
  • Prokofiev — Violin Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 63
  • Sibelius — Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47
  • Mozart — Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219
Solo Violin
  • J. S. Bach — Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005
  • J. S. Bach — Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006
  • Ysaÿe — Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, “Ballade”
  • Ysaÿe — Sonatas Nos. 4–6
  • Paganini — Selected Caprices, Op. 1: Nos. 1, 5, 9, 13, 20 & 24
Chamber Music
  • Beethoven — Piano Trio in D Major, Op. 70 No. 1, “Ghost”
  • Beethoven — Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47, “Kreutzer”
  • Beethoven — String Quartet in F Major, Op. 18 No. 1
  • Brahms — Piano Trio No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 101
  • Haydn — String Quartet in C Major, Op. 76 No. 3, “Emperor”
  • Mendelssohn — Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 49
  • Shostakovich — String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 110
  • Caroline Shaw — Blueprint

Orchestra Experience

  • University Symphony Orchestra, University of Michigan — Violinist, 1 year
  • University Philharmonia Orchestra, University of Michigan — Violinist, 1 year
  • Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra — Concertmaster, 2 years
  • Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra — Principal Second Violin, 1 year

Competitions

  • Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra Concerto Opportunity — Winner, 2024
  • Diablo Valley Young Artist Competition — Prizewinner, 2024

Pedagogical Experience

  • Pedagogical Ambassadors — Chamber Music Coach, 8 Ensembles
  • PACO Camp & Presto PACO — Chamber Music Coach

Camps

  • Center Stage Strings '26