Naomi Barnes

About Naomi

Did you know there are two sisters that play in the Glacier Symphony?  Dr. Naomi Barnes has played viola for 35 years in the orchestra and is a well known and respected optometrist in Whitefish at North Valley Eye Care.  Her sister Dr. Ruth Kosmalski is a dentist working at Alpenglow Dental in Whitefish and joined the Glacier Symphony to play violin when she moved to this area two years ago.

They grew up in a musical family with mother Carol playing church organ and father Pete Godtland playing French Horn in the Butte Symphony.  Pete was a founding member of the Butte Symphony, the oldest orchestra in the state of Montana and played for a remarkable  71 years.  He was honored by the Montana Association of Symphony Orchestras last year for this amazing achievement and is probably the longest playing member of any orchestra in this country.
When Ruth and Naomi were in junior high school, their dad recruited them to play in the Butte Symphony and this began a lifelong commitment to play in their community orchestras.

Continuing the family tradition, Naomi’s three daughters have all played in the Glacier Symphony.  Breanna and Bethany play viola and Brittany plays viola and harp.