I am Stefanie Brendler, a musician and performer living in Seattle, WA. Styles of music I play include klezmer, Balkan/Eastern European, classical, folk, and rock.  I currently play with several groups, including the Yellow Hat Band (since December 2004) and Tin Tree Factory (since fall 2006).  In October 2008, the Yellow Hat Band traveled to Somerville, MA for the 3rd Annual HONK! Fest, an international celebration of brass and street bands.  In May 2008, Tin Tree Factory’s “Too Dork to Punk” tour traveled throughout the Rockies and west coast.

Other bands and performers I have played with include Your Heart Breaks, Richard Webb, Jherek Bischoff, the Infernal Noise Brigade, and Julian Velard.

Education:

I graduated in 2004 from Hampshire College with a BA in Sustainable Community Planning.  I picked up the French horn in middle school and played competitively through high school, performing in various bands and orchestras, including three years in the Montgomery County, Maryland Honors Band.  Though not a music major, I continued to play throughout my time in college.  Upon graduating, I decided to focus on playing and sharing my love for music with others.

Supplementary Information:

Since the fall of 2005, I also work as a self-defense instructor for Home Alive, a Seattle anti-violence non-profit organization.  My free time is filled with music, art, crafts, good food, reading, bikes, and Jewish peace activism.