Kimberly Hankins

Kimberly
Hankins

Kimberly Hankins
(She/They) Dr. Kimberly Hankins is a Violist of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and Principal Violist of the Arizona Philharmonic. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Germany, Luxembourg, and Iceland.
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Currently Performing
Magic Flutes Orchestral Concert
Violist
Arizona Bach Festival
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Kimberly
Hankins

Kimberly Hankins
(She/They) Dr. Kimberly Hankins is a Violist of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and Principal Violist of the Arizona Philharmonic. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Germany, Luxembourg, and Iceland.
Read More
Currently Performing
Magic Flutes Orchestral Concert
Violist
Arizona Bach Festival
You are viewing Kimberly Hankins’s public profile. To message Kimberly, view contact information, professional endorsements, activity, and more, join Stagetime.
Join to Connect

Schedule

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Biography

Kimberly Hankins

Dr. Kim Hankins is a Violist of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and Principal Violist of the Arizona Philharmonic. She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Germany, Luxembourg, and Iceland.

With a passion for chamber music, Dr. Hankins has been featured as a Guest Artist and Chamber Music Faculty at Tetra Chamber Music Institute, Vianden Music Festival, and Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra’s ‘Stringmania.’ In January 2023, she was invited to perform in a chamber music recital with Dr. Katherine McLin and Steinway Artist James D’León. Over the years, she has worked closely with the members of the Pacifica Quartet, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Juilliard String Quartet, St. Lawrence String Quartet, Brentano String Quartet, and Brooklyn Rider. Dr. Hankins was a member and co-Artistic Director of the Tetra String Quartet from 2020-2023, working to empower young musicians and cultivate musical experiences that are accessible and available to everyone in our community.

As a trauma-informed RYT500, Dr. Hankins believes strongly in the power of mindfulness and meditation and how these practices can help musicians play with more ease. In the Summer of 2020, they were a guest Yoga Teacher for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestral Institute. In the Summer of 2021, they were a returning American Viola Society Festival presenter on Finding a More Ergonomic Setup and Playing With Ease.

Dr. Hankins has been teaching and performing in conductorless ensembles since 2009. She was the viola and cello Sectional Coach at Tucson Junior Strings for two years, where she worked with 11 different conductorless orchestras and taught students ages 4-18 how to cue and lead their performances without a conductor. In 2010, Dr. Hankins was a member of the Reykjavik-based conductorless string orchestra 'Strengjasveitin Skark,' led by violist and now Icelandic Opera conductor Bjarni Frímann Bjarnason. In the Summer of 2012, Dr. Hankins had the incredible experience of working closely with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and learned their detailed approach to score study and efficient musician-led rehearsals. Dr. Hankins has also performed in conductorless chamber ensembles with St. Lawrence String Quartet and Brooklyn Rider.

Dr. Hankins has played in orchestras led by notable conductors such as Alan Gilbert, Carl St. Clair, Thomas Wilkins, Krzysztof Urbanski, and Leonard Slatkin. She has been a Substitute Violist with the Phoenix Symphony since 2017 and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra since 2022. Before moving to Arizona in 2017, Dr. Hankins has held various short-term orchestra positions as Principal Violist and Principal Second Violin of the Bloomington Chamber Singers, Principal Violist of Daytona State Symphony, and Section Violist of Apollo Chamber Orchestra.

Not only a ‘classical’ musician, Dr. Hankins is a former auxiliary member of the notable experimental rock band Drop Electric. While a member, she had the incredible experience of performing at 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. She has also performed as an electric violist with Jason Bonham, Marques Toliver, and Blood, Sweat, and Tears.

Dr. Hankins completed a Performance Diploma in Solo Viola Repertoire with Ed Gazouleas and a Master of Music degree at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music with Masumi Per Rostad. During her final year at IU, she received additional lessons with Anne Epperson on repertoire for Viola and Piano. She performed her Master's Recital in collaboration with IU faculty Dr. Aram Arakelyan. Moving to Arizona in 2017, Dr. Hankins received a Doctorate of Musical Arts at Arizona State University with Nancy Buck. With a desire to expand the viola repertoire, Dr. Hankins transcribed and recorded DMA project on her transcriptions and recordings of Ernest Bloch's Three Suites for Solo Cello.

Media

Press

Experience

Experience

Principal Viola

2023 - Present

Viola Substitute (Principal and Section Viola)

2022 - 2023
Tucson, AZ

Section Viola

2023 - Present

Viola Substitute

2022 - 2023

Viola and Violin Sectional Coach

2021 - Present

The Phoenix Symphony

2017 - Present
Phoenix, AZ

Viola Substitute

2017 - Present
Mesa, Arizona

Violist and Co-Artistic Director

2021 - 2023

Musician in Residence

2021 - 2023
Round Top, TX, USA

Orchestra Fellow, Viola

2014 - 2014

Orchestra Fellow, Viola

2012 - 2012

Sectional Assistant

2009 - 2011

Expertise

Professional Role

Teaching Artist

Industry

Orchestra