Karen Cueva, violin
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Meet Karen
Karen, currently a violinist, educator, and arts administrator, most recently appears on Show 472: 20 Years of Jack Kent Cooke Young Artist Awards.
Karen Cueva appeared on Show 187, recorded in October 2008, at age 17.
Current Bio:
Karen Cueva is dedicated to uplifting youth voice, culture, and artistry as an integral part of social infrastructure. Raised in Virginia, she began studying violin at age four, supported by her mother and grandparents. Their boundless support empowered Karen to study at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and later earn degrees from The Juilliard School (BM, MM) and Harvard University (EdM).
As a performer, Karen has appeared on stages including David Geffen Hall, The Kennedy Center, and the Royal Opera House of Muscat (Oman), playing under the batons of conductors such as James DePreist, Alan Gilbert, Lorin Maazel, and Esa-Pekka Salonen. In 2015, Karen co-founded the Du Bois Orchestra, a Boston-based ensemble using music to overcome social exclusion and platform underrepresented composers.
Inspired by the example of steadfast teachers in her own music learning journey, Karen went on to teach at City College Academy of the Arts, George Jackson Academy, Harlem School of the Arts, and Opportunity Music Project. She has also taught at Boys & Girls Clubs, through Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program, and in school residencies with From the Top. These experiences deepened her commitment to advancing systemic support for young people and music educators.
Karen launched her administrative career at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, where she curated professional development for hundreds of music educators. As the Assistant Director of Learning and Engagement Programs, Karen oversaw the expansion of PlayUSA, a national program providing funding and organizational support to community music education programs.
Today, she serves as Deputy Director of the Creating Abundance Collaborative (CAC), leading and designing programs that coalesce and research the creative youth development field and cross-sector partners in workforce development and youth mental health. CAC was incubated at The Lewis Prize for Music, a philanthropy where Karen previously worked as Head of Operations.
In 2024, Karen joined the Board of Directors of El Sistema USA, where she chairs the Membership & Engagement Committee. El Sistema USA supports 150 organizations, 6,000 music educators, and 25,000 young people accessing high-quality music education across the United States.
Karen Cueva appeared on Show 187, recorded in October 2008, at age 17.
Karen was among the first recipients of From the Top’s Arts Leadership Grant! Her project, building classical music connections with Boston’s incarcerated youth, created a musical exploration where in students will write about their life experiences through the lens of hope and compose the soundtrack to their stories. Read more about it in this article from NPR.
Program bio from Show 187:
Karen Cueva (violin), 17, is a recipient of From the Top’s $10,000 Jack Kent Cooke Young Artists Award. Originally from Burke, VA, she is currently a senior at the Walnut Hill School in Natick, MA. Karen performs with New England Conservatory’s Youth Philharmonic Orchestra and has attended the National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute and participated in the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship Program. She enjoys reading, painting, and cross-stitching in her spare time.
Show 472
Symphony No. 2 in D Major: I. Allegro presto by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799)
More on Karen
- There’s no doubt about it; being on NPR’s From the Top with Host Christopher O’Riley is a big deal for our young musicians. They work …
- 24-year-old violinist Karen Cueva appeared on NPR’s From the Top with Host Christopher O’Riley Show 187, recorded in October 2008, at age 17. In …
