Violinist Dr. Katie Smirnova is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the Rushmore Music Festival. Throughout the year, Dr. Smirnova enjoys performing with local orchestras such as the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, as well as touring with the Rushmore Concert Artists. She has previously enjoyed collaborating with organizations such as the National Music Museum in Vermillion SD, San Diego Ballet, Stowe Tango Music Festival, Moscow Ballet, Bel Cantanti Opera Company, Hartford Festival Orchestra, Groupmuse, among others. In addition to performing with various chamber ensembles in major halls throughout the United States, Dr. Smirnova places a strong value on outreach and giving back to her community through performance.

An avid teacher, Dr. Smirnova currently maintains a private teaching studio in Rapid City, SD and Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Highly interested in child psychology and the early music learning process, she has studied violin pedagogy with Rebecca Henry at the Peabody Conservatory and completed a two-year long-term Suzuki teacher training certification at the School for Strings in New York City.

Previous teachers include Dr. Ann Setzer at the Juilliard School Pre-College Division, Pamela Frank, Shmuel Ashkenasi and Daniel Phillips at the Heifetz International Music Institute, and masterclasses with the members of the Miro, Brentano, Brooklyn Rider, Emerson, and the Juilliard String Quartets.