Lisa tours, collaborates, records and performs with artists and ensembles such as Tan Dun, David Simons, Gregory Barsamian, Mary Ziegler, Jenny Lynn McNutt, John Morton, Douglas Dunn, David First, Jacqueline Shatz, Thomas Buckner, Margaret Leng Tan, Muna Tseng, Toni Dove, Denman Maroney, Patrick Grant, Theodora Skipitares, Joshua Fried, Jerome Kitzke and Tony Prabowa's New Jakarta Ensemble; and with Music For Homemade Instruments and Gamelan Son of Lion, for whom she also composes. Lisa produced and composed works for Gamelan Son of Lion's CDs "Bending the Gending" (2002), and "Sonogram" (2009) and Music For Homemade Instruments' CD "Pick Of the Litter" (2000).

Awards include a '95 ArtsLink Collaborative Projects Grant from the NEA/Soros Foundation and an Arts International Travel Grant to further her collaborative projects in Estonia; a ‘96 Harvestworks Programming Residency; a '97 ArtsLink grant to create "Puhamu", a multi-media music-performance installation in Tallinn, Estonia; and various Meet The Composer Awards. Lisa and collaborator David Simons received grants from the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, the Jerome Foundation, The Greenwall Foundation and The Aaron Copland Fund to compose, develop and record their chamber opera "The Birth of George", sponsored by Harvestworks and American Opera Projects; released on CD under Harvestworks TELLUS Label. In 2003 Lisa was awarded funding from The Greenwall Foundation and Arts International to support her current work "Woman's Song: The Story of Roro Mendut".

In January 2000: Lisa performed in Bali and Java, in David Simons "Music For Theremin and Gamelan" and as guest vocalist with Javanese composer Tony Prabowo's New Jakarta Ensemble at the Sacred Rhythm Festival; in the U.S. she presented works from "The Simurgh", an opera-in progress with texts by Olive Schreiner and novelist Doris Lessing, at Galapagos' New Music Series in Brooklyn; and the Outer Voices Series in New York City.

In winter/spring '01: Lisa appeared with Jerome Kitzke in the "Great Day in New York" series at Alice Tully Hall; with Gamelan Son of Lion at BAM with the Mark Morris Dance Company, and in Barbara Benary's gamelan opera "Esther" at HERE Theater. In fall '01 Lisa taught master classes at Polli Talu Arts Center in Estonia, with choreographer Douglas Dunn, lighting designer Carol Mullins and co-composer David Simons. In March '02 she was solo vocalist in David First's score for Theodora Skiptares' shadow puppet work "The Rise and Fall of Timur the Lame" at LaMama Annex.

In October '03 Lisa premiered "Woman's Song: The Story of Roro Mendut", at the Kitchen in co-production with World Music Institute. Prior to the premiere, in July, Lisa was awarded Arts International funding to bring "Woman's Song..." to Estonia's Glasperlenspiel Festival. "Woman's Song..." is a multi-arts music theater work based on a 17th Century Javanese legend, composed and directed by Karrer, with shadow puppets by Kate Yourke, video projections by Jenny Lynn McNutt and lighting design by Carol Mullins; featuring Gamelan Son of Lion, Balinese dancer Ayu Armini, Javanese dance and mask performer Deena Burton, martial artist George Crayton and vocalist/stilt dancer Lisa Karrer. In November '03, Lisa traveled to Zagreb with collaborator David Simons, where they created a score and sound installation for Ivana Sajko's "MASS For Election Day Silence", premiered February '04 with BADco ensemble.
In February '06 she presented "River Kotekan", a work for gamelan, pianists and vocalists, at Merkin Hall's Interpretations Series in NYC;

In '07 Lisa premiered "Schismism Pt 1: Fractured America", a multi-arts solo project, at The Flea Theater in NYC, including interactive triggering sculpture by Gregory Barsamian. As resident performing artist at the Living Theatre in Oct '08, she premiered "Schismism: Natural Law", based on the life of Charles Darwin, in collaboration with composer/performer David Simons and interactive "House" sculpture by Jacqueline Shatz. In Oct '09 "Schismism..." was featured in NYC's Entertaining Science series, curated by Nobel Laureate Roald Hoffman, and at Cal State University's Darwin Series curated by anthropologist Philip Debarros. Her recent compositions for Gamelan orchestra appear on Gamelan Son of Lion's CD "Sonogram", released in January '09 on Innova Records. Lisa continues to develop video/sound performances such as "Mary's SITE", based on the animated sculpture of visual artist Mary Ziegler. Her video and sound installations have been exhibited at venues such as GAGA/Garnerville Arts Center and RoCA/Rockland Center for the Arts in Rockland County, and A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn NY. Lisa is currently composing the score for a new musical adaptation of Alice In Wonderland, through a commission from Ramapo College, with opening performances in March 2010.

Major Works:

2009 Prussian Blue - Sound installation in collaboration with visual artist Robert Egert (GAGA/Garnerville Arts Center)

Rockland Composers Series - New works for voice and video at RoCA (Rockland Center for the Arts)

Collision Theory - duet concerts with David Simons at the Flea Theatre NYC and Pomona Arts Center

Performance Installations at AIR Gallery Bklyn, RoCA (Rockland Center for the Arts), Gaga/Garnerville Arts Center

SONOGRAM CD release (with Gamelan Son of Lion) at Galapagos Art Space Bklyn

2008 SCHISMISM: NATURAL LAW Guest Artist Residency at the Living Theatre NYC Multi-media performance workshop in collaboration with David Simons, and folding HOUSE sculpture by Jacqueline Shatz

2007 SCHISMISM: FRACTURED AMERICA multi-arts solo performance premiered at Flea Theater NYC 3/07

LIVING AMONG US IN 3010 - Documentary film commissioned by Young Audiences NY, featuring studentsÊfrom Brooklyn School for Career Development

2003-07 RIVER KOTEKAN Composition for 2 pianos, 2 vocalists, 2 percussionists and gamelan orchestra; Premiered at Renee Weiler Concert Hall, Greenwich Music House '05, and Merkin Concert Hall, NYC '06; recorded and mixed for CD '06 - '07

2004-06 CONFUSIONARY MANIFESTO Tape loop installation recorded in Zagreb, Croatia for dance theater ensemble BADco, directed by Ivana Sajko, and featured in video of the same name, featuring Frank Gehry architecture.

2001-03 WOMAN’S SONG: THE STORY OF RORO MENDUT Multi-arts music theater production Workshop showings at the Indonesian Consulate; The New School; Glasperlenspiel Festival, Estonia . *Premiered October 15 - 18 2003 at the Kitchen in NYC, co-produced by The World Music Institute.

2000 THE SIMURGH Opera-in progress based on South African writer Olive Schreiner’s texts
Presented excerpts in "Endangered Opera" concerts at Galapagos (Brooklyn) & Cornelia Street Cafe (NYC)

PASS THE GODDAM SPINACH Composed for Gamelan Son of Lion Greenwich Music House, NYC

1999 TRISKELION Composed and performed score for voice/sampler/ steel guitar for Douglas Dunn & Dancers Riverside Church, NYC (and '03 at 92nd St Y)


A HOUSE IN BALI Composed for Gamelan Son of Lion Greenwich Music House; Knitting Factory, NYC

ONE VOICE TWO PIANOS Compositions for Voice and Piano, in collaboration with Denman Maroney and Jerome Kitzke, for the North River Music Composer’s Series Greenwich Music House, NYC

1998 THE SIMONS-KARRER BAND Compositions for quintet Ysbreker, Holland; Logos, Belgium; Halle, Germany; St. Johann, Austria

1997 PUHAMU (Sanctuary) Multi-media music-performance installation St. Nicholas Church, Tallinn, Estonia

THE BIRTH OF GEORGE Chamber opera composed in collaboration with David Simons LaMama, NYC
THE LAST LAF Composed for Music For Homemade Instruments Performed/recorded for January 2000 release MFHI CD, ‘PICK OF THE LITTER’

1996 ZIBOR RILJKE (SOUND OF THE RIVER) Voice and movement collaboration with Bosnian choreographer Valentina Cabro Danse Atelier, Rotterdam Holland

1995 MOONPULSE Film score for 2 voices, drum, flute, bamboo instruments Filmed in Tallinn, Estonia

1994 DESCANSOS Score for six voices and windwands The Music Gallery, Toronto

NEW MUSIC FROM NEW YORK AND TALLINN Karrer/Simons collaboration with Tunnetusuksus Ensemble, Von Krahli Theatre, Tallinn, Estonia

1993 THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA Score for women’s cast, men’s ensemble and soloists Skidmore College, NY

1992 EMAPOLV Dance cantata with vocal score for Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir Premiered at National Drama Theater, Tallinn, Estonia; Pace University, NYC

BRAND NEW STORIES Solo concert with video interaction One Dream Theater, NYC; Rushmore Festival, NY; Array Music, Toronto

1991 VOICES IN THE FIELD Composed for soloists and choral ensemble Washington Square Church, NYC; The Hudson Waterfront Museum, Liberty State Park, New Jersey; Palenville Interarts Colony, NY; European tour: Wuppertal, Koln, Munster, Germany; Arava Kibbutzim, Israel

1990 CASSANDRA Score for women’s vocal trio for Rick Merrill Dance Company; DIA Arts, NYC

1989 THE BACCHAE Score for DAK Theater and music ensemble; Gowanus Arts Center, Brooklyn NY; Westbeth Theater Center, NYC

HEARTBEAST Multi-media performance with HEAP Theater; ABC No Rio, NYC; Woodstock Center, NY; on tour: Melkweg, Holland; The Schloss, Munich; Haus Steinstrasse, Leipzig; Kammertheater, Neubrandenburg

1988 THE WOMEN ON MY MOTHER’S SIDE A capella opera Premiered at The Knitting Factory, NYC

1987 BABY TRIALS Duet performance work in collaboration with Roberta Levine Dixon Place, NYC; New Haven, CT; Groundswell Festival, Toronto

1986 RAIN Solo vocal score for Choreographer Colin Connor; Dancer’s Workshop, Portland Oregon

1985 WOMEN OUT BIRDING Choral performance work based on sounds gathered during year-long world travels The Knitting Factory, NYC

1984 THE MADONNA EXPERIMENT Choral performance work, with text by Roberta Levine P.S. 122; The Knitting Factory, NYC

1983 TRIANGLES EQUALLY ABREAST Music and multi-media performance installation for large ensemble, in collaboration with performance artist Roberta Levine JAM (Just Above Midtown Downtown), NYC