Rachael Cohen - Part 2

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.