Katrīna Anna Pelnēna was born in Riga, Latvia, and began studying the viola at the age of five.
She completed her studies at the Emīls Dārziņš Music School and earned her Bachelor’s degree from the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, where she is currently continuing her studies towards a Master’s degree.
Between 2019 and 2022, Katrīna was a member of the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra before joining the internationally renowned Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra, led by violinist Gidon Kremer. With this ensemble, she has performed both orchestral and chamber music concerts at major venues and festivals, including the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival in Austria, the Seoul Arts Center in South Korea, and the National Theatre and Concert Hall in Taipei, as well as on numerous tours across Europe. She continues to collaborate regularly with the ensemble.
In 2023, Katrīna was awarded a permanent tutti viola position with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. With the orchestra, she has collaborated with artists such as Augustin Hadelich, Lawrence Power, George Benjamin, Pekka Kuusisto and Olivier Latry, and with conductors including Nicholas Collon, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Herbert Blomstedt, Jörg Widmann, Sakari Oramo and Elim Chan. The orchestra recently served as orchestra in residence at the 2025 Salzburg Easter Festival (Osterfestspiele Salzburg).
Alongside her orchestral and academic commitments, Katrīna has participated in numerous festivals and masterclasses, including the Festival Academy Budapest, Kronberg Academy – Chamber Music Connects the World 2026 (performing with senior artists Gidon Kremer and Steven Isserlis), Engers Academy, Echo Arts Munich, Baltic Roots (Karajan Academy), and Kallio-Kuninkala, among others. She has received solo coaching from distinguished musicians such as Yuri Bashmet, Maxim Rysanov, Lawrence Power, Nils Mönkemeyer, Tim Frederiksen, Thomas Riebl, Ulrich Knörzer, and Joaquín Riquelme García, and has attended chamber music masterclasses with Levon Chilingirian, Teemu Kupiainen, Katalin Kokas, and Jonian Ilias Kadesha.
Katrīna currently plays a viola attributed to “Felice Guadagnini 1865” (Berlin School, 1930–35), generously loaned by the Finnish Cultural Foundation.