Karen Kloster began her career in the performing arts as a free lance tour manager of chamber orchestras, dance companies and theatre companies in 1988. By 1992 she shifted her focus to symphony orchestras and two years later joined Columbia Artists / Doug Sheldon.  Sharing a desk, one computer and one phone line for three weeks in 1994 created a fast bond between Doug and Karen.  Countless hours were spent plotting routes and budgeting and choosing hotels to ensure the best tours possible for the musicians.  

 

The Sheldon/Kloster collaboration continued for more than 26 years during which Karen travelled on the road for over 70 tours as a tour manager, and later assuming the role of Tour Coordinator organizing tours, hiring tour staff, booking concerts, plotting routes and overseeing budgets. Among the numerous tours were regular returning visits of  the Mariinsky Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, London Symphony, China Philharmonic and Orchestre National de France. She has been involved with tours of Boston Symphony, Bruckner Orchester Linz, Danish National Orchestra, Montreal Symphony, Munich Philharmonic, Orchestre National de Lyon, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Teatro Regio Torino, Vancouver Symphony, World Orchestra for Peace, Stanislav Opera Company, and a stage production of the Haydn Creation.

 

Karen is the Operations Director for Marlboro Music, having worked in Marlboro Vermont since 1987.  She has a degree in Mathematics from the College of William and Mary and lives in Vermont full time with her partner Butch Kaeppel.