Virginia Barnes; Owner

Virginia Barnes | Bio, Co-Owner

Virginia Barnes; Owner barnesviolins is a graduate of Juilliard Pre College and The University of Michigan where she earned a Bachelor of Violin Performance with highest honors as a student of Paul Kantor. Mrs. Barnes also has done graduate work at Florida Atlantic University with a focus on violin pedagogy. She has been a performer and violin virtuoso in South Florida since 1992. Presently she has a thriving private violin studio and is co-owner of Barnesviolins LLC.     

Mrs. Barnes’ performing experience includes being assistant principal second violin and a member of the first violin section of The Palm Beach Opera Orchestra. She has also performed with The Palm Beach Pops, The Boca Pops, The Florida Philharmonic, and The Naples Philharmonic. She has performed on the national tour for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Once the Barnes children were born, Virginia emphasized teaching and discontinued performing in order to be home with the boys. She home schooled them for ten years, as well as taught them to play violin while she maintained her teaching studio. During this time, Mrs. Barnes also became active with The Florida Youth Orchestra as a string coach and adjudicator, as her children have been members of the orchestra. Mrs. Barnes has also been an adjudicator for the Florida Orchestra Association Solo and Ensemble events over the years.

Now that her sons are older, one is a violin major at The Alexander Dreyfoos School of the Arts and the other a member of the advanced orchestra and Junior National Honor Society at The North Broward Preparatory School, Virginia has turned her focus to the diverse job of growing Barnesviolins LLC. Her performing and teaching experience, as well as her experience of parenting two young musicians, brings a feeling of comfort and understanding to families that come into the shop looking to rent their first instrument as they begin their musical journey. Mrs. Barnes prides herself on her ability to collaborate with the South Florida area string teachers and support the  equipment, accessory, and sheet music needs of their students.