Mrs. Kimberly Armstrong Barrett

Kim Barrett began studying the violin at age 12 with Linda Fiore in Pennsylvania. After graduating from West Chester University with Bachelor Degrees in Music Performance and Music Education, she went to Matsumoto, Japan to study personally with Dr. Shinichi Suzuki and other master teachers. During her 3 ½ years in Japan, she assisted in translating for Dr. Suzuki and his writings as well as performed as an example of his teaching and method at National and International conferences in Japan. After graduating from the Talent Education Institute in 1990 with its Teaching and Performance Certificate, she returned to the United States in 1991 with her violinist husband, Tim Barrett. Kim also holds a Masters Degree in Violin Performance from the University of Tennessee where she studied with Mr. Mark Zelmanovich. Other teachers include Mark Bjork, Linda Case, Ronda Cole, Dorothy DeLay, Anastasia Jempelis, Brian Lewis, Sanford Reuning, Louise Wear, and Tom Wermuth.

For more than 29 years, Kim has been teaching music in both public schools and the private sector. Since moving to Johnson City, TN in 1991 as Director of the Violin Program for the Academy of Strings, Kim has taught numerous students ages 3 through adult. As a team, Kim & Tim Barrett have developed and continue to direct the Academy of Strings (AOS), a non-profit music academy, which began with 12 students and has grown to have a yearly enrollment of more than 100 students from several counties. They have also directed a string orchestra program for students at a Title 1 public school in Johnson City for 20 years. Kim is Co-Director of White Mountain Suzuki Institute at Ogontz in New Hampshire and has taught as a guest clinician/string specialist for various workshops/clinics in CT, DE, GA, NC, NJ, PA, and SC.

In addition to being former co-concertmaster of the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra and co-director of the Johnson City Youth Orchestra, Kim has performed with the Symphony of the Mountains, Asheville, and Knoxville symphonies and is a member of the Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra and Sophisticated Strings.

Kim lives in Johnson City, TN with her husband, Tim and their two adult children, Harrison and Kristen.