Cellist Karen Yeh is a multifaceted performer, recording artist, and string arranger based in Los Angeles, California. She has recorded for the motion picture industry and her list of credits include Frozen 2, It: Chapter 2, Mulan (2020) and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Television show recordings include Fargo, Around the World in 80 Days, and BBC’s One Planet: Seven Worlds. Delving into the world of pop, she has recorded for artists such as Leslie Odom Jr. and performed live with musical giants Sting, Christina Aguilera, D4VD, Twenty-One Pilots, Hozier and Royal & The Serpent.
In addition to performing, Karen writes original string arrangements for independent artists. She is passionate about incorporating instrumental tracks for artists across genres, including pop, jazz, folk, and rock. She believes that using strings in popular music brings a unique richness and emotional depth to the sound.
An avid orchestral musician, Karen plays with New West Symphony, Long Beach Symphony, Pasadena Symphony, Santa Barbara Symphony and Orchestra Santa Monica. She has been a member of the Game Awards Orchestra for four consecutive years. Their most recent awards show reached an audience of 154 million global viewers. Festival appearances include the Meadowmount School of Music, Domaine Forget, Toronto Summer Music Festival, Montecito Festival, and the International Music Academy in Pilsen, Czech Republic. Karen has performed in masterclasses for such distinguished artists as Yo-Yo Ma, Lynn Harrell, Colin Carr, Anner Bylsma, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Matt Haimovitz, and Janos Starker.
“How to describe Karen Yeh? She is an amazingly beautiful talent inside and out! Top-tier! If you’re fortunate enough to work with her, your creative endeavor just increased in production value…”
Born on Long Island, Karen began learning piano at the age of 6 and started her cello studies at age 9. She attended the State University of New York (SUNY) Stony Brook’s Pre-College Program where she received her first chamber music coachings. Karen was a member of the prestigious New York Youth Symphony and performed with them at Carnegie Hall. She earned a Bachelor’s of Music degree at Northwestern University, a Performer’s Diploma at Indiana University, and a Master’s of Music from the University of California Santa Barbara. She served as Janos Starker’s last assistant at Indiana University and was the Orchestral Teaching Assistant at UC Santa Barbara. Her past mentors include Hans Jørgen Jensen, Janos Starker, Jacob Braun, Jennifer Kloetzel, and Ben Hong.