Biography

An award-winning artist and educator, Dr. Perkinson began her violin studies at the age of 5 in the Philadelphia public schools.  She performs with the Omaha Symphony, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, Madison Bach Musicians, Omaha Chamber Music Society, and has toured internationally with the musical The King and I.   An avid chamber musician, she has collaborated with members of the Pro Arte String Quartet, performed at the Token Creek Chamber Music Festival and performed on both modern and baroque instruments for Wisconsin Public Radio’s Live from the Chazen series.  Dr. Perkinson has been a guest lecturer/artist at Beloit College (WI), Hastings College (NE), Kansas State University, Pittsburg State University (KS), University of Nebraska at Kearney, University of South Dakota, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.  As the recipient of a Faculty International Research grant, she will travel to Indonesia in May 2016 to premiere works by Indonesian composers.

In 2009 Dr. Perkinson founded Sound Health, an award-winning program that brings live music to hospitals.  The mission of Sound Health is to enrich the hospital environment through live music while providing music students with an opportunity for community service and professional performing experience.  Most recently, she has brought Sound Health to Omaha, initiating a partnership between two area hospitals, UNO School of Music and the UNO Service Learning Academy.  In addition, a grant from the Nebraska Arts Council and a Civic Engagement Grant from UNO’s Service Learning Academy supported the launch of Partners in Performance, a partnership between UNO’s Service Learning Academy, the School of Music, Omaha Area Youth Orchestra, and two area high schools.

Dr. Perkinson graduated magna cum laude from Boston University; received a Performance Diploma from Boston Conservatory; and completed the MM, K-12 Music Certification, and DMA at UW-Madison. She has presented for the College Music Society, American String Teachers Association, and The Engagement Scholarship Consortium.  Dr. Perkinson has held K-12 and collegiate positions and is currently Coordinator of String Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.