Carmen Kitts attended UW-Oshkosh as a Music Education/Performance Major. In Oshkosh, she had a private studio of 45 students; and performed in the Oshkosh Symphony Orchestra, Fox Valley Symphony, Fond du Lac Philharmonic and in professional chamber ensembles.

After teaching for eight years in Oshkosh, Carmen relocated to Florida where she played in the Treasure Coast Symphony and taught in Vero Beach. Later, she moved to Minnesota where she was Associate ConcertMaster of the Dakota Valley Symphony (DVS), played in the Rochester Orchestra and Choral (ROC), Kenwood Symphony, performed regularly with DVS chamber groups and was Principal Second Violinist in the Arious Chamber Music Society.

Carmen taught at Minnesota Valley Academy of Music (MVA), developing a Mentor Program between MVA and DVS, which allowed students to play side by side with Symphony members.

While in Germany she played in the Friedrichshafen Symphony Orchestra and took private lessons from Concertmaster Pawel Zalejski of the Symohoieorchester Vorarlberg in Austria.

Since August 2011, she has lived with her two children in Waukesha. In addition to continuing her private teaching studio, she is head teacher for the Greater Milwaukee El Sistema Chapter.