Biography

Cellist Jennifer Carpenter is known for her versatility across a broad range of musical styles and ensembles. Highlights of the 2024-2025 season include visits as a guest artist at Illinois State University and Colgate University, and solo and chamber music performances at the Nazareth University Women in Music Festival, the Eastman at Washington Square concert series, and the Friends of Vienna chamber music series. Carpenter is a member of Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and she has also appeared with Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Cayuga Chamber Orchestra, and Finger Lakes Opera.

Carpenter is committed to bringing to light the works of underappreciated composers, both historical and living. Her presentation “Exploring the Fusion of Cultures in Contemporary Classical Cello Music” at the 2025 ARTs + Change conference reflected her deep interest in blending musical traditions and her commitment to celebrating living composers. In her dedication to fostering an inclusive musical landscape, she and a team of colleagues recently published Resonance: A Multicultural Cello Method: Book 1, which pioneers a graded teaching approach celebrating the diverse cultural influences that have shaped American music over the centuries.

Carpenter's impact extends beyond the stage as a dedicated educator. She is the Coordinator of Chamber Ensembles at University of Rochester and a member of the faculty at Eastman Community Music School, The Hochstein School, and Point Counterpoint. She has served as a Lecturer in Music at Nazareth College, and as a mentor and coach to students in Rochester Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Eastman Cello Institute, ROCmusic, Juilliard Pre-College Orchestra, Kneisel Hall Program for Maine Students, and Wyoming Seminary Performing Arts Institute.

Carpenter holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree with Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, a Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin Conservatory.