• Faculty

Karen James

She/Her

Piano Instructor

Karen has been teaching music for over 40 years in the public schools and in her home studio, and piano at Castleton since 2007. Karen began ringing Handbells when her church acquired a three octave set in 1983 and she became the director a year later. Under her direction, the Bells of Joy, now ringing five octaves have performed locally, at Area and National Festivals, and toured the Atlantic States and New England.

Since 1986, Karen has helped organize and direct the annual Vermont Spring Rings and has taught numerous handbell workshops for Area 1, Area 2 and National Events. Karen has rung many years with Distinctly Bronze, was selected to ring with the Dream Team at SEE, the Solo/Ensemble Extravaganza, in the summer of 2007, and is an accomplished solo performer on her own set of four octaves of Handbells. In addition to her love of Handbells, she enjoys accompanying recitals, and conducting musical theater productions.