Karin “K” Bliznik (she/they) has performed on multi-Grammy Award-winning orchestral albums. She served as Principal Trumpet of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra for a decade, and before that with the Atlanta Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, and Charleston Symphony Orchestras, as well as the Santa Fe Opera. She has been Guest Principal and soloist with the New York Philharmonic and has performed with the London and Los Angeles Philharmonics, the Boston Pops, and countless popular artists including Stevie Wonder, Kanye West, Ben Folds, and The Temptations. 

 

As a queer artist, Bliznik is passionate about supporting equitable access to music opportunities, and in 2020 started Tower Grove Records to produce and engineer the works of under-represented artists. She is currently producing and mixing a classical album of original compositions performed by the all-female Seraph Brass. 

 

As a multifaceted touring trumpet player, she's recently performed with Trumpet Mafia at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, and with Latin Grammy nominee Gina Chavez at SXSW, Folk Alliance, Hollywood Pride, and in three international community-service and LGBTQIA+ focused tours as part of the US American Music Abroad program. 

 

When not producing or performing, she also enjoys building creative community in her hometown of Saint Louis, and coaching young trumpet players through guest university faculty positions, private orchestral coachings, and as a board member and judge of the National Trumpet Competition.  Bliznik is in their second term as a Governor of the Recording Academy’s Memphis Chapter Board, which has included service as co-chair of Advocacy, the Chapter Nominating and Classical Membership Committees, as well as mentoring through Grammy U.

 

Bliznik holds a MM from Northwestern and BM from Boston University, and has appeared as co-director and faculty at Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute, the New World Symphony, National Youth Orchestra, Aspen Music Festival, and National Orchestra Institute.