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.