Karen A. Bell
Coach & Consultant • Educator • Musician
Karen Bell, originally from South Carolina, is a classically trained vocalist who studied vocal performance at Columbia College, S.C. Karen earned her Bachelors of Music from Berklee College of Music. In her 30 plus years in the Boston area alone, Karen has successfully served as vocal coach, bandleader, emcee and/or vocalist for top corporate bands and thousands of events in New England. Bell has written and recorded for other artists and projects. She worked with many talented musicians, performing throughout New England, the U.S. and international locations.
In the higher education realm, Karen was appointed director of the alumni office for Berklee College of Music in 2005, advancing to senior alumni officer for Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee. In this role, she connected college and conservatory alumni to the greater Berklee community, including current students. A tenured administrator, Bell accepted the position of academic assistant to the dean of the Professional Performance Division for Berklee in September 2018. As primary advisor to performance majors, Karen provides advice and insight through curriculum and program initiatives to student performers excited about their musical journey at Berklee and beyond.
Outside of performing, Karen worked with the Center for Women and Enterprise, Big Brothers Big Sisters, New Orleans’ based People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB) and is a member of African American Women in Higher Education in New England. These experiences, along with her focus in performance, coaching and music industry involvement, enabled her to launch The Bell Affair in 2012. The Bell Affair brings together all of Karen’s many talents into one enterprise combining her practical knowledge as a recording and performing artist with her industry and administration know-how.
As founder of The Bell Affair and bandleader for The Karen Bell Band, other services offered are:
Audience engagement coach and consultant (for artists and non-artists)
Educational series and programs on music, performing and the music industry
As an audience engagement coach and consultant, Karen’s diverse programmatic formats result in a drastically improved experience with an audience. Participants acquire the tools to implement a better delivery, realize the concept of an even higher level of relating with their audience, present with an increased confidence and finally bringing about a deeper connection and longer association with an audience.
Karen Bell found her purpose and her passion in life, advocating for artists and strengthening the connection between artists and their audiences. She looks forward each and every day to her continued work as an artist and entrepreneur.