Kari Lapins started playing the violin at age eight in the Suzuki method and now teaches Suzuki violin and viola, fiddle, Irish Tenor Banjo and Music Mind Games in and around Knoxville, Tennessee. She previously taught in Flagstaff, Arizona from 2004-2016 with the NAU Community Music and Dance Academy, where she was Assistant Coordinator for the Suzuki program. There, she maintained a studio of 25-50 students from age three to adult and taught weekly group, fiddle, and Music Mind Games classes. She also taught Suzuki violin and Music Mind Games to over 300 children each year in grades K-5 at Marshall Magnet Elementary, a Title One School.
Mrs. Lapins has registered Suzuki Books 1-10 with the Suzuki Association of the Americas and completed her training with Dr. Louise Scott, Dr. Susan Baer, Dr. Karin Hallberg, Dr. Teri Einfeldt, and Dr. Julia Hardie (Viola Book 4). She received her Unit 1 Teacher Trainer Certification in 2014 for Music Mind Games and has trained extensively with Michiko Yurko, creator. She holds a Master of Music in Violin Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy from Northern Arizona University and a Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts Management from Columbia College Chicago.
In addition to teaching, Mrs. Lapins performs regularly with the Oak Ridge Symphony Orchestra, Symphony of the Mountains, Johnson City Symphony, and Bryan Symphony. In her spare time, Mrs. Lapins enjoys hiking, camping, working with her dogs Ziva and Lila, playing Irish music, and spending time with her husband Alex, children Maggie and Patrick, family, and friends.