Katarina Nieminen

Originally from Canada, Katarina Nieminen began playing violin at the age of five. She initially studied through the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) program, regularly performing in local recitals and festivals, as well as taking exams through the Conservatory. While in Canada, she was also a member of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Youth Orchestra Program working under directors Allene Chomyn, Angela Cox-Daly, Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser, and Matthew Jones. After moving to Florida in 2018, she joined the Pinellas Youth Symphony (PYS), in which she plays in a string quartet and string orchestra, both under the direction of Mr. Lei Liu, and symphony orchestra under the direction of Dr. Susan Robinson. Katarina has been assistant concertmaster of the symphony orchestra, and both principal 2nd violin and concertmaster of the string orchestra. Her most influential teachers include Julia Dixon, Julie Baumgartel, Dr. Yuan-Yuan Wang, and currently, Dr. Christina Adams.
In 2016, Katarina attended International Music Camp in Ontario, Canada as concertmaster of the concert orchestra. She was also nominated as a candidate in the Ontario Music Festival’s Provincial Competition in 2017 and 2018. Her most recent accomplishments include completing her Level 10 Violin Exam through the Royal Conservatory of Music in June 2021, earning First Class Honors with Distinction, as well as attending the Chamber Music Intensive Program at the Philadelphia International Music Festival in July 2021, where she also won 1st prize in the Senior Division of the Concerto Competition. Katarina was one of two winners of the PYS Senior Concerto Competition in November 2021, and in March 2022 she performed Saint-Saens’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, accompanied by the symphony orchestra.
In addition to violin, Katarina also plays piano, which she started at age seven. She participated in the Ontario Music Festival’s Provincial Competition for piano in 2016 and 2017, including winning 3rd prize for piano in 2016. In 2019, she won 1st prize in the Greater Pinellas Music Teachers Association Chopin Competition for piano, and in 2020, she completed her Level 10 RCM Piano Exam, earning First Class Honors with Distinction.
Katarina is the oldest of four siblings, each of whom plays at least one instrument. Besides playing violin, she enjoys singing in her church choirs, spending time with her family, going for walks, and reading. She will continue her music studies this fall by pursuing a degree in violin performance at Stetson University, where she was accepted to study with Professor Routa Kroumovitch under a full scholarship. In the future, Katarina hopes to take advantage of as many performance opportunities as possible for chamber music and smaller ensemble work.

You can find Katarina’s 2022 Spring Music Competition violin performance here.