Kari Lapins teaches Suzuki violin, viola, Irish fiddle, and Music Mind Games in Knoxville, Tennessee. She began her violin studies in the Suzuki method at age 8 at the Northern Arizona University (NAU) Preparatory School in Flagstaff, Arizona with Ruth Atkin Giaque. She has continued her violin studies with Dr. Karin Hallberg, Dr. Louise Scott, Dr. Susan Baer, Phyllis Sanders, and Dr. Geoffrey Herd. She studied Suzuki pedagogy with Dr. Karin Hallberg, Dr. Louise Scott, Dr. Susan Baer, Julie Hardie, Teri Einfeldt, and Charles Krigbaum. Kari received her Bachelor of Arts in Performing Arts Management from Columbia College Chicago, and her Master of Music in Suzuki Pedagogy and Violin Performance from NAU. She has completed Suzuki Teacher Training in Every Child Can, Suzuki Principles in Action, Violin Books 1-10, and Viola Book 4. Kari has studied extensively with Music Mind Games Creator, Michiko Yurko, earning her Teacher Trainer certifications in 2014 (Unit 1) and 2023 (Unit 2).
Kari has been teaching violin, viola, and fiddle since 2004 and Music Mind Games since 2010. She has taught at NAU Curry Summer Music Camp, Chaparral Suzuki Institute, Las Vegas Suzuki Institute, Ithaca Virtual Suzuki Institute, University of Tennessee’s Viola Celebration and Violin Day, and Music Mind Games Teacher Trainings in Indianapolis, Charlotte, Durango, CO., University of Oregon, NAU, Southern Virginia University, Austin, and Copenhagen. From 2004–2016 she taught individual lessons, group classes, Music Mind Games classes, and was Assistant Suzuki Coordinator at NAU Community Music and Dance Academy in Flagstaff, Arizona.
She currently performs with Oak Ridge Symphony, Bryan Symphony, and Symphony of the Mountains. She was a member of Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, Verde Valley Sinfonietta, Slugs from Space string quartet, Johnson City Symphony, and has performed with San Juan Symphony, New Mexico Philharmonic, Phoenix Symphony, Prescott Pops Orchestra, Chattanooga Symphony, Asheville Symphony, and Roanoke Symphony.
She is on the boards for Traditional Irish Arts of Knoxville and Music Mind Games Foundation. She enjoys playing Irish music and getting outdoors with her husband Alex, daughter Maggie, son Patrick, and two dogs Ziva and Lila.