Kari Novilla is an internationally recognized, multi-genre artist whose work is rooted in a commitment to inclusivity and diversity. Drawing on an extensive classical foundation, she has worked to expand the harp’s horizons into jazz and electronic music, forging a singular artistic identity across cities and concert halls.
Kari currently serves as Principal Harpist with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, where she is honored to be a Civic Fellow. She completed her Master of Music in Harp Performance with Distinction at the Royal Academy of Music in London, studying under Professor Emerita Skaila Kanga and Professor of Jazz Harp, Park Stickney. She earned her Bachelor’s in Harp Performance from Indiana University in 2021 with the highest academic and artistic honors under Harp Department Chair, Elzbieta Szmyt.
A Finalist in the American Harp Society National Competition, she has also appeared as a concerto soloist at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., with the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado, and with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. She has also been a featured performer for Google and NBC News, and has had the privilege of performing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Lyric Opera Orchestra, and Milwaukee Symphony, among others.
Her jazz ensemble, the Kari Novilla Trio, performs across Europe and the United States, including at the prestigious Wigmore Hall, Spice of Life Jazz Club in Soho, London, and Clara in Chicago. Kari is excited to continue her journey in Chicago and her vision of uniting communities through the power of music.
What are you most looking forward to this season?
I’m so excited to collaborate with the Fellows and mentors on socially engaged projects that amplify unheard voices and design community-rooted performances right here in Chicago. I look forward to deepening my impact as a civic artist while exploring new ways to connect music with education, justice, and healing.
