Karen Strittmatter Galvin joined the orchestra as Assistant Concertmaster in 2007. She is also founder and curator of New Music Raleigh, a cutting-edge ensemble dedicated to performing the works of living composers. During the summer, she serves as an artist faculty member at Brevard Music Center where she teaches talented high school and college musicians.
    Committed to the arts in her community, Galvin has served on the board of the Raleigh Chamber Music Guild (now Chamber Music Raleigh), has taught at the University of North Carolina, maintains an active private teaching studio, and has performed and recorded with local rock bands. She has also performed during past summers with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and served as Associate Concertmaster of the Colorado Music Festival.
    A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Galvin began her musical training at the age of five after seeing the violin for the first time while watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. She received a bachelor’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a master’s degree from the University of Maryland.
    Galvin has been a frequent soloist with NCS, including last season's program led by Timothy Myers, where she performed Echorus by Philip Glass alongside fellow North Carolina Symphony violinist Erin Zehngut. In 2019, she was featured with Jacqueline Saed Wolborsky on Anna Clyne’s Prince of Clouds for concerts in Raleigh, Wilmington, and Chapel Hill.