Paula Karolak is a violist and violinist originally from San Diego, California. She began
studying violin at an early age and discovered the viola in high school, quickly falling in
love with its rich, warm sound.

 

She is currently a member of the Santa Rosa Symphony and performs throughout the
Bay Area as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player. As a soloist, she has
appeared with the UCLA Philharmonia, UCLA Women’s Choir, and San Francisco
Academy Orchestra. Her chamber music appearances have included the Dilijan
Chamber Music Series, The Music Guild Chamber Series, and the Carlsbad Music
Festival, and she is a member of the Trinity Alps Chamber Players.

 

Paula completed her undergraduate studies at UCLA, where she studied viola with Paul
Coletti and Richard O’Neill and violin with Guillaume Sutre. She later attended the San
Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying with Paul Hersh and Jodi Levitz. She
continued her orchestral training with the San Francisco Academy Orchestra, where she
was mentored in orchestral performance by Don Ehrlich and Joy Fellows.

 

Outside of music, Paula has pursued interests in both technology and the outdoors. She
spent two years working with a Silicon Valley startup, using 3D-printing technology to
help create custom-fit bicycle helmets, and is currently studying computer science and
data science at City College of San Francisco. When she isn’t performing, teaching, or
studying, she enjoys rock climbing.

 

An experienced educator, Paula has more than two decades of teaching experience
working with students from beginning through collegiate levels. She has coached
chamber and orchestral music for the Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra and Golden Gate
Philharmonic while maintaining a private teaching studio. She is also a registered
Suzuki teacher and has completed Suzuki Unit 1 teacher training with Cathryn Lee.