Today I’m writing to you from my courtyard patio, listening to the birds chattering in the trees and my newborn daughter coo away in the Moses basket next to me. In two weeks I’m returning to teaching after being away from the studio for a maternity leave and I’m feeling a bit reflective.

I’ve spent a lot of my time while on leave thinking about what I want life to look like when I come back to work. Several of the ensembles I work with contract out far in advance, so that I was already committed to performances this spring before I was even pregnant with my new baby. This means I have actually kept up with performing a fair bit this spring while away from lessons, which has been a refreshing change of pace. Rehearsals are late in the day, so less of a strain where child care is concerned. The music on my stand has been interesting and held a variety of challenges, so I was keeping my brain engaged and active in a way that didn’t concern diapers or feeding and sleep schedules. While it was difficult to leave the house to attend each rehearsal, I am grateful I had these lined up to keep me connected with parts of myself outside of motherhood.

Going back to work after maternity leave is different for someone who works for and by themselves. When you stop working, the studio stops more or less, too. But at least this maternity leave in spring 2026 is very different from my leave in summer 2020. I know many of my students were able to keep playing through groups offered at Hagerstown Community College and Shepherd University’s Community Music Program, or through their school orchestra program. I encouraged many of them to continue playing with friends, either in duets or quartets as well. I was pleasantly surprised at a group class in early May where students showed they’ve been hard at work polishing our arrangements of the “Star Spangled Banner” and “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”, which have become our traditional offerings while playing at the Flying Boxcars, our town’s baseball team!

Looking ahead I’ve been thinking about the balance of life. As a musician who is enjoying playing more - From picking new music to learn, excited about the possibilities of performing chamber pieces and still discovering new things about my new violin I bought in fall 2025. I am actually considering whether I should work on a recital or two to offer in the community myself. Just a few years ago this would have been a ludicrous idea and I’m taking it as a good sign! I have to balance that with life as a teacher who wants to continue with what makes the studio special and unique in our community. As a director for ensembles at HCC and Shepherd that help connect people who love making music together. As a mama who now has two little girls - One baby who will need the best possible start these next few years and a delightful five, almost six year old who will be fully homeschooled this coming year.

I won’t do this all perfectly. I hope I can remember that perfection isn’t the goal when I’m feeling frustrated, overwhelmed or embarrassed that it isn’t going perfectly. But I will be working on doing it well and hope to share it with you all here or on Instagram in the next year.

Thanks for reading my wandering thoughts, chat soon!

Musician, Teacher and Mama | Thoughts Coming Back from Maternity Leave