Violinist Megan Karls enjoys a multi-faceted career across the American West as the Concertmaster of the Wyoming Symphony, and as a violinist with the Spokane Symphony, Boise Philharmonic and the New Mexico Philharmonic.  Her musical leadership is in high demand as a frequent guest concertmaster in the region, including repeat appearances with the Billings Symphony, Bozeman Symphony, Opera Montana and the conductor-less String Orchestra of the Rockies. Her recent solo concerto performances have been with the Northwest Civic Orchestra, Milwaukee Philharmonic, Civic Orchestra of Victoria, and the Great Falls Symphony Orchestra, of which she is a former concertmaster. 

She spends her summers performing with the Britt Festival Orchestra, as Principal Second Violin of the McCall Musicfest Orchestra, and guest teaching across the world in San Salvador, El Salvador, Tlahuitoltepec, Mexico and around the United States.

Megan is a 2015 recipient of the Yale Distinguished Music Educator Award, and in 2021 became the first woman in classical music to ever receive the Montana State Arts Council’s Artist Innovation Award. She has been an artist-in-residence with OpenAIR in Montana and at the Tongue River Artist Residency in Dayton, Wyoming. She holds degrees with honors in violin performance and political science from Lawrence University and the University of Iowa.