Richard Karpen has received awards at the following contests
- Concorso internazionale Luigi Russolo di musica elettroacustica, Varèse (Italy): 1984, 1987
- Concours international de musique électroacoustique de Bourges, Bourges (Cher, France): 1987, 1989
- NEWCOMP International Computer Music Competition, Boston (Massachusetts, USA): 1987