Annie Addington
Annie Addington is a multifaceted artist, educator, and certified professional coach whose work bridges music, healing, and personal transformation. Based in Sarasota, she is the founder of Quantum Transitions Through Music LLC, where she developed her signature approach, “Transforming Trauma Through Songwriting.” Drawing from decades of experience in integrated body psychotherapy, coaching, and music performance, Annie helps individuals channel emotional experiences into creative expression through songwriting, voice work, and performance. Her philosophy centers on the belief that music has the power to transform emotional energy and support healing on both personal and creative levels.
Annie’s career spans more than four decades across music education, psychotherapy, and performance. She co-founded the Institute of Körper und Seele in Germany, where she spent 16 years leading workshops and therapeutic sessions rooted in Core Energetics and body-centered psychotherapy. She also facilitated long-term women’s support groups, including programs dedicated to survivors of childhood abuse. After returning to the United States, Annie continued her work as an educator while pursuing advanced studies in music. She earned a Master of Fine Arts in Jazz Performance and Composition from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music, studying jazz performance with Jon Faddis and composition with Joel Thome. Her formal training deepened her passion for jazz, songwriting, Brazilian music, and vocal performance.
Today, Annie continues to teach voice and beginning piano in Sarasota while actively performing and writing original music. Fluent in five languages—English, French, German, Dutch, and Portuguese—she performs Brazilian repertoire in Portuguese and remains deeply engaged in lifelong learning and artistic exploration. A songwriter and member of ASCAP, Annie has collaborated internationally and participated in cross-cultural musical projects, including work connected to Russia during the Gorbachev–Bush era. Recognized for her unique combination of artistry, education, and healing-centered work, she has also been selected as one of Florida’s Most Influential Women for the 2026 edition, representing Sarasota’s vibrant creative community.
• Certified Professional Coach
• SUNY Purchase College - MFA
• Best Actress Award at University of Connecticut
• ASCAP
• Act Blue Donations
• No More Kings
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being placed in the best places by the universe throughout my career. When I was in New York, I was so blessed with what I was given. I worked in a jazz club called Slugs in the Far East where I met everybody, and three years there was enormous. Then I was with a sculptor, John Chamberlain, and Max's Kansas City became my home, and that was all the artists and musicians. The universe just plopped me in the best places, really. It was great. I also believe in being a lifelong learner - I went back to school in my 50s to get my MFA in music at SUNY Purchase, and I do Duolingo every night because learning languages and musical instruments creates brain connections. As a doctor from Harvard or Yale said, as you age, if you learn a language and learn a musical instrument, you're making so many connections, you can afford to lose a few. This is brain medicine for me.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is that a successful career does not end at retirement. I’ve learned that growth and achievement can continue throughout every stage of life. Seeing someone who has written many songs and speaks five languages reinforced the importance of remaining curious, adaptable, and passionate about learning. That experience taught me to embrace lifelong learning, continuously develop new skills, and stay open to opportunities for personal and professional growth.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage young women entering this industry to believe in their abilities and remain confident in their goals. There may be challenges along the way, but perseverance, determination, and self-belief are key to success. Keep pushing forward, continue learning, and never let setbacks define your path. Most importantly, never look back with doubt—trust your journey, stay focused on your ambitions, and know that you are capable of achieving great things.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest opportunity in my field right now is being able to put out my Transforming Trauma Through Songwriting work. I am a certified professional coach, and I have 20 years of working as a therapist and educator. I don't want to have a hundred sessions a week, but I would love to do this work again. It can go very deep. I'm also looking for opportunities to perform - I'm going to Brazilian places where I can sit in and sing, and there's a space opening up where it might be possible to work once a week. I'm actively seeking gigs and places where I can make music.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important value to me is making music - it's basically my essence. Singing is probably my most important thing personally to do. I love my children and what's possible with them when I teach. I'm also very grateful for the experiences I've had throughout my career. I'm particularly proud of my work in Russia from 1989 to 1991 with the Perestroika Project, where I worked with a band and we wrote a song called Face to Face. I wrote the lyrics to Face to Face, and that song was shown at the Gorbachev-Bush Summit meeting. I'm very, very proud of that time, but proud in a sense that I'm just feeling blessed to have been able to have that experience. We sang on army bases, and they were fabulous with me. That was history - it was Russia and America after the wall had fallen, making music together and learning to love each other.