[3] She first studied with Ara Zerounian, then continued her music education and switched to viola[5] at the Interlochen Arts Academy beginning from the age 12.

[1][4][3] She returned to the United States in 2000 and began teaching viola and chamber music at New England Conservatory in Boston in fall 2000.

[1] She has collaborated with and commissioned works from Gidon Kremer, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Levin, Felix Galimir,[7] and the Guarneri String Quartet,[8] György Kurtág, Krzysztof Penderecki, Alfred Schnittke, Giya Kancheli, Arvo Pärt, Peter Eötvös, Ken Ueno, Thomas Larcher, Lera Auerbach, Tigran Mansurian.

[3] She practices Chinese martial arts (kung fu), including Tai chi.

[9] In a 2013 interview with Hollywood.com, Kashkashian stated that she is constantly confused with reality television personality Kim Kardashian due to their similarly spelled surnames.

[10] Kashkashian is one of the founders and (as of 2016) the Artistic Director[8] of Music for Food, an initiative aimed at fighting hunger.

"[5] The New England Conservatory of Music website describes her as "internationally recognized as a unique voice on the viola.

"[1] The American Academy of Arts and Sciences described her as a "world renowned musician who has caused the repertoire for the viola to be greatly enlarged" through her many collaborations.

[8] A minor planet discovered by Brian A. Skiff at the Anderson Mesa Station on November 6, 1980, is named after Kashkashian.