Katrīna Anna Pelnēna was born in Riga, Latvia, and fell in love with the velvety and mysterious sounds of the viola at the age of five. She began her musical journey at the Emīls Dārziņš Music School in Riga, studying under Una Vikštrēma and Ināra Brīnuma. The 12-year education laid the foundation for her future musical expression.

After beginning her bachelor's studies at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music with Prof. Arigo Štrāls, Katrīna was selected for the Erasmus+ exchange programme at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, where she continued her studies with Atso Lehto and Jakob Dingstad. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in classical music performance.

Between 2019 and 2022, Katrīna worked with the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, after which she joined the internationally renowned Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra led by violinist Gidon Kremer. As a member, Katrīna has performed both orchestral and chamber music concerts at the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival in Austria, the Seoul Arts Centre in South Korea, the National Theatre and Concert Hall in Taipei, and many other festivals and concert venues across Europe. She continues to collaborate with the ensemble.

In 2023, Katrīna won a permanent tutti viola position with at the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. There, she has collaborated with artists such as Augustin Hadelich, Lawrence Power, George Benjamin, Pekka Kuusisto, Olivier Latry, and conductors Nicholas Collon (chief conductor), Esa-Pekka Salonen, Herbert Blomstedt, Jörg Widmann, Sakari Oramo, Elim Chan, and others. The orchestra recently served as the orchestra-in-residence at the 2025 Osterfestspiele Salzburg.

Beyond her orchestral and academic commitments, Katrīna has participated in festivals and masterclasses such as Festival Academy Budapest, Engers Academy, Echo Arts Munich, Baltic Roots (Karajan Academy), Kallio-Kuninkala and others. She has received solo performance coaching by such distinguished musicians as Yuri Bashmet, Maxim Rysanov, Lawrence Power, Nils Mönkemeyer, Tim Frederiksen, Thomas Riebl, Ulrich Knörzer, Joaquín Riquelme García, and chamber music instruction by 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.