Kristi Bartleson began teaching private harp lessons in 1990, after graduating from the Eastman School of Music, in Rochester, New York. She received her bachelors' degree with honors, from Eastman in harp performance, and music education. Her training included early childhood education, student choice-centered learning techniques and elementary classroom methods. Over the last 20 years, she has taught both private harp students and harp ensembles, as well as taught in the junior music schools of several communities in Switzerland.