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This week, Carrie offers her insights on the postpartum healing process and suggests ways it can be enhanced for better recovery.

Carrie RavenStem is a distinguished clarinetist and educator based in the Louisville/Southern Indiana area. As both a freelance musician and teacher, she has performed with renowned orchestras and ensembles, including the Kentucky Opera, Louisville Ballet, NouLou Chamber Players, Sacred Winds, Louisville Chamber Winds, Louisville Orchestra, Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, Classical Symphony Orchestra, and Keep Louisville Symphonic. Her passion lies in championing living composers and fostering the appreciation of contemporary music

Carrie RavenStem shares how she carefully juggles her busy life as a musician, educator, and mom!

She is a distinguished clarinetist and educator based in the Louisville/Southern Indiana area. As both a freelance musician and teacher, she has performed with renowned orchestras and ensembles, including the Kentucky Opera, Louisville Ballet, NouLou Chamber Players, Sacred Winds, Louisville Chamber Winds, Louisville Orchestra, Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, Classical Symphony Orchestra, and Keep Louisville Symphonic. Her passion lies in championing living composers and fostering the appreciation of contemporary music

Rachael Stutzman Cohen is an active performer and highly sought after clarinet instructor. She currently holds the position of Second Clarinet with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and has regularly performed with the Richmond and the Sarasota Orchestras. Mrs. Cohen has also performed with orchestras across the Southwestern PA region including Pittsburgh Opera, Harrisburg, Wheeling, Canton and Erie Philharmonic. Previously, Mrs. Cohen held the position of Bass Clarinet with the Kansas City Symphony. She has also performed with such prestigious orchestras as the Pittsburgh Symphony, Aspen Music Festival, and Britt Festival Orchestra and been led under the batons of Christoph von Dohnányi, Gerard Schwarz, Tito Muños, James Gaffigan and Grammy winner Teddy Abrams.

Mrs. Cohen enjoys performing chamber music as a member of Kassia Ensemble, an all woman group comprised of 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, harp and clarinet. Kassia performs a wide range of classical music, emphasizing gender equality in its programming. The Ensemble has performed all over the Southwestern PA region and toured in Florida and Oregon. They have commissioned and premiered many works including those by Judith Shatin, Osnat Netzer and Nancy Galbraith. Kassia Ensemble co-presented the Pittsburgh premiere of Missy Mazzoli’s opera Song From The Uproar with an all-woman ensemble. Mrs. Cohen can be heard on the album Silent Spring, featuring the music of Dr. Mark Fromm, performed and produced by Trillium Ensemble.

Mrs. Cohen enjoys teaching all levels of music students. In addition to her appointment at the University of Pittsburgh, she has taught at Slippery Rock University and Fairmont State University (WV). She has given master classes at Truman State University (MO) and the University of South Florida and is a regular educational contributor to Pittsburgh’s, Steel City Clarinet Day. Mrs. Cohen maintains a private studio at Johnstonbaugh’s Music Center. She received her BFA and MAM from Carnegie Mellon University, where she studied with Thomas Thompson of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Mrs. Cohen has also studied with Victoria Luperi, Ron Samuels, Dick Page, Dennis Smylie, and Paul Demers.

Rachael Stutzman Cohen is an active performer and highly sought after clarinet instructor. She currently holds the position of Second Clarinet with the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and has regularly performed with the Richmond and the Sarasota Orchestras. Mrs. Cohen has also performed with orchestras across the Southwestern PA region including Pittsburgh Opera, Harrisburg, Wheeling, Canton and Erie Philharmonic. Previously, Mrs. Cohen held the position of Bass Clarinet with the Kansas City Symphony. She has also performed with such prestigious orchestras as the Pittsburgh Symphony, Aspen Music Festival, and Britt Festival Orchestra and been led under the batons of Christoph von Dohnányi, Gerard Schwarz, Tito Muños, James Gaffigan and Grammy winner Teddy Abrams.

Mrs. Cohen enjoys performing chamber music as a member of Kassia Ensemble, an all woman group comprised of 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, harp and clarinet. Kassia performs a wide range of classical music, emphasizing gender equality in its programming. The Ensemble has performed all over the Southwestern PA region and toured in Florida and Oregon. They have commissioned and premiered many works including those by Judith Shatin, Osnat Netzer and Nancy Galbraith. Kassia Ensemble co-presented the Pittsburgh premiere of Missy Mazzoli’s opera Song From The Uproar with an all-woman ensemble. Mrs. Cohen can be heard on the album Silent Spring, featuring the music of Dr. Mark Fromm, performed and produced by Trillium Ensemble.

Mrs. Cohen enjoys teaching all levels of music students. In addition to her appointment at the University of Pittsburgh, she has taught at Slippery Rock University and Fairmont State University (WV). She has given master classes at Truman State University (MO) and the University of South Florida and is a regular educational contributor to Pittsburgh’s, Steel City Clarinet Day. Mrs. Cohen maintains a private studio at Johnstonbaugh’s Music Center. She received her BFA and MAM from Carnegie Mellon University, where she studied with Thomas Thompson of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Mrs. Cohen has also studied with Victoria Luperi, Ron Samuels, Dick Page, Dennis Smylie, and Paul Demers.

This week, Theresa Martin shares the story of her journey to becoming ABD, offering insight into the challenges and triumphs along the way. She is an internationally recognized composer of energetic, melodious, and rhythmically driven music who often draws her inspiration from literature, images, nature, and personal experiences.  She enjoys writing music for chamber groups and large ensembles, and given her expertise in clarinet performance, is frequently commissioned to write for the instrument.  She has been commissioned by internationally prominent soloists including clarinetists Robert Spring, Joshua Gardner, Jana Starling, and Wesley Ferreira, tubaist Sam Pilafian, oboist Michele Fiala, bassoonist Albie Micklich, as well as organizations such as the Barnett Foundation of Chicago, the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, the Arizona Wind Symphony, the Kairos Trio, Eufonix Tuba-Euphonium Quartet, the 10th and Broadway Clarinet Quartet, the University of Wisconsin Fox Valley Concert Band, and the Arizona State University Wind Ensemble.  She has been awarded recognition by the American Composer’s Forum, ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer's Competition, and NACUSA Young Composer’s Competition, and she has received several ASCAPlus awards.  Her music has been performed in Canada, Great Britain, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Sweden, Spain, China, Taiwan, and Tanzania.  Her pieces are performed at international and national conferences such as the International Double Reed Society Conference, International Alliance for Women Congress, European Clarinet Association Festival, Xi’an International Clarinet Festival, multiple International Clarinet Association Clarinetfests, the Society of Composers, Inc. National Conferences, College Music Society Regional Conferences, Aspen Summer Music Festival, Sewanee Summer Music Festival, Georgia Music Educators Association Conference, American Composer’s Alliance Summer Music Festival, the TMEA Convention, and the CBDNA National Conference.  Studying both composition and clarinet performance, she received her DMA in composition at the University of Michigan and Masters’ degrees in composition and clarinet performance at Arizona State University. 

Dr. Martin currently has a studio in Wisconsin, where she teaches private lessons in composition, clarinet, and piano. She also appears as guest lecturer at universities around the country and locally. Her music is self-publishied via Verdant Publishing. As a clarinetist and pianist, she performs regularly in local ensembles. In addition to her musical activities, she enjoys spending time with her husband, son and daughter.

Amanda and Amy got to chat with composer, clarinetist, and mom of 2, Theresa Martin! She is an internationally recognized composer of energetic, melodious, and rhythmically driven music who often draws her inspiration from literature, images, nature, and personal experiences.  She enjoys writing music for chamber groups and large ensembles, and given her expertise in clarinet performance, is frequently commissioned to write for the instrument.  She has been commissioned by internationally prominent soloists including clarinetists Robert Spring, Joshua Gardner, Jana Starling, and Wesley Ferreira, tubaist Sam Pilafian, oboist Michele Fiala, bassoonist Albie Micklich, as well as organizations such as the Barnett Foundation of Chicago, the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, the Arizona Wind Symphony, the Kairos Trio, Eufonix Tuba-Euphonium Quartet, the 10th and Broadway Clarinet Quartet, the University of Wisconsin Fox Valley Concert Band, and the Arizona State University Wind Ensemble.  She has been awarded recognition by the American Composer’s Forum, ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer's Competition, and NACUSA Young Composer’s Competition, and she has received several ASCAPlus awards.  Her music has been performed in Canada, Great Britain, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Sweden, Spain, China, Taiwan, and Tanzania.  Her pieces are performed at international and national conferences such as the International Double Reed Society Conference, International Alliance for Women Congress, European Clarinet Association Festival, Xi’an International Clarinet Festival, multiple International Clarinet Association Clarinetfests, the Society of Composers, Inc. National Conferences, College Music Society Regional Conferences, Aspen Summer Music Festival, Sewanee Summer Music Festival, Georgia Music Educators Association Conference, American Composer’s Alliance Summer Music Festival, the TMEA Convention, and the CBDNA National Conference.  Studying both composition and clarinet performance, she received her DMA in composition at the University of Michigan and Masters’ degrees in composition and clarinet performance at Arizona State University. 

Dr. Martin currently has a studio in Wisconsin, where she teaches private lessons in composition, clarinet, and piano. She also appears as guest lecturer at universities around the country and locally. Her music is self-publishied via Verdant Publishing. As a clarinetist and pianist, she performs regularly in local ensembles. In addition to her musical activities, she enjoys spending time with her husband, son and daughter.

In the second half of their interview, Melissa and Donna reveal how the four of them cultivate a supportive, empowering environment that allows each member to thrive as musicians, creating a safe space where they can truly flourish together.

This week, Amanda and Amy sat down with Melissa Lander and Donna Noyes, the other dynamic half of Voix Des Femmes. Be sure to tune in to the full episode to discover who was the first person Melissa played for after her extended break from performing—trust us, you won't want to miss it!

In this episode, Jenn & Laura continue to discuss their experiences in the military. Laura also shares the stressful events that took place on her daughter's first day in childcare.

Jennifer Everhart and Laura Grantier offer their ingisht on life in the military as a musician-mom.