Rebecca Crenshaw

Rebecca Crenshaw, a New Orleans based violinist, violist, teaching artist, and yoga instructor, is known for her unique musical style, both in sound and approach. She roots both her work within the world of social impact, grounded in the belief that art is the path by which we can envision a more equitable world; a world where social impact and artistry intersect — and when utilized authentically, can make change in our world.

Rebecca’s academic journey laid the foundation for her multifaceted approach to the arts. Rebecca attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, Texas and Hampshire College in Western Massachusetts. At Hampshire, she studied ethnomusicology and music performance, exploring the social implications of how we are introduced to and taught different genres of music. She recently received a MBA in Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation with the Global Leaders Institute. During this time, she championed the teaching artist philosophy that it is imperative, as artists, to provide ways for audiences to create intrinsic connections to our work. This is where our work is able to make an impact.

At her core, Rebecca is a collaborator and improvisor. She thrives in collaborative settings where both improvisation and agreed upon structures intertwine to create that sweet space of flow. She believes that through improvisation, we can root ourselves to that place of honesty and truth. Rebecca is fascinated by the audience/artist relationship and actively questions the traditional performer/listener format through interactive engagement.

Rebecca has performed, toured, and recorded with a wide range of artists and genres during her musical career. She has toured with musicians such as Samantha Fish and Judith Owen, recording with bands artists such as Arcade Fire and Alex Ebert and performed with bands such as Hurray for the Riff Raff and New Orleans based Americana band EverMoreNest in New Orleans. She has premiered dance collaborations at the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Centers and performed at the Kennedy Center.

Education is a huge part of Rebecca’s artistic philosophy. She has founded two public school strings programs in New Orleans, served as the Education and Engagement Manager of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and acted as Executive Director of the Birdfoot Festival, a rule-bending, experimental chamber music festival. She was a member of the League of American Orchestras Education and Engagement Leadership Committee and is an active contributor to the Teaching Artist Guild’s National Advisory Committee. In 2020, Rebecca led a workshop in collaboration with Carniegie Hall on the importance of process based learning.

Registered as an E-RYT® 200, RYT® 500, YACEP® instructor with the Yoga Alliance, In 2017, Rebecca founded Yoga for Musicians, a yoga-series in partnership with the New Orleans Musicians Clinic. These classes are tailored to the specifics of musician’s demands and aimed at both improving well being and building community. She believes that music is a universal vibration that connects us all, much like the word om—life saying yes to itself. Instead of projecting into the future or ruminating on the past, both practices allow us to be present and playful in the moment and find joy, peace, and community. Currently, Rebecca is exploring the intersection of breath work and improvisation, both through a project she calls Somatic
Soundscapes.