Meet Kristina Reiko Cooper — musician and mom!

My girls love music, so we listen to a lot of nursery rhymes and high-energy singy-song kids music. After an entire day of that music I am ready for something a little more, well….something that isn’t being sung by a cartoon character and isn’t asking me to clap my hands or dance like a bug!

I tend to like all types of music but, when I’m working or wanting to relax, I’ll choose an instrumental CD every time! And right now, I’m listening to Kristina Reiko Cooper’s new CD, Stone and Steel!!!

Stone and Steel is a beautiful combination of the ancient and the modern as Kristina puts a fresh spin on some old classics — Gregorian chants, songs from composer John Dowland, and Dido’s Lament.

I absolutely love the combination of cello, piano, and percussion. The music is relaxing yet inspiring. And, the woman behind the music is even more inspiring!

Kristina Reiko Cooper is not only a renowned musician, frequently performing at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Jerusalem’s Henry Crown Hall, Toronto’s Roy Thompson Hall and Kioi Hall of Tokyo, but she’s also a new mom!!!

Kristina received her bachelors and masters degrees in music and her doctorate of musical arts from Juilliard and now tours the world with her music. But her cello isn’t the only thing she’s bringing with her on those tours. Kristina also takes her one year old son with her as she tours.

Taking my girls to my parents’ house 3 hours away is enough work for me…I couldn’t image a world-wide tour! So, I’m going right to the source and finding out how Kristina manages to juggle being a professional musician, a world-wide tour, and being a mom…while still looking so gorgeous!

Who are your musical inspirations?

I have been very lucky to have many wonderful people in my life, —-who have fostered in me, a great love of music—for what I do.  First and foremost, my parents.  My mother is a wonderful violinist, and my father is a beautiful pianist.  I grew up surrounded by great music.  My father used to wake me up every morning, when we lived in Paris for a year, with the Bach 4th Partita!  It used to annoy me no end  as I did not necessarily want to wake up at that moment, but oh–what glorious music, and it was so beautifully played.
  
I was also extremely fortunate to have studied for 6 years in a row, at The Juilliard School, with Robert Mann, the first violinist of the Juilliard String Quartet for 50 years.  He is not only one of the most amazing musicians in the world, and an intellectual thinker on an extremely high level, but he is so “alive”!  Every moment of his life is infused with curiosity and and zest for life.  He would make every moment of music making for me,  tangible, visceral and magical, and perhaps most importantly, immediate.  I hope to one day, imbue my existence with even a modicum of his passion.

What has been the biggest obstacle to overcome having your baby on tour with you?

Logistics, pure and simple.  Traveling with a cello (which has its own seat on a plane), a baby, a nanny, a stroller, car seat, diaper bag, baby bottles and food, diapers,toys, breast pumps, etc. — is a NIGHTMARE!!!!!  So many plane tickets — multiple hotel rooms, ordering of cribs, bottle sterilizers, vaccinations!!! Wow!  People actually laugh at us in the airport when we come by. In the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, France, they don’t let you take a stroller past check-in.  Imagine that!
 
My husband, my nanny and I have ALL thrown our backs out in the last couple of months.  Imagine why!!!  Our plane was 8 hours late the other day, which meant that we had to spend the night in the Denver airport, after having flown the night before from Israel. After all of that, I had to go straight from the airport to the stage for a sound check — NOT fun.
 
That being said, there is nothing more amazing than coming home (well, back to your hotel) after a concert, and seeing that beautiful, incredible face, peeking out from under the covers — and smelling that magical little creature that you still can not believe is your baby.
 
Oh, did I mention dealing with a baby with jet-lag???

What are your secrets for making it all work — performing, recording, and being a mom?

I am not so sure that I have any secret at all — I am a major stress-ball a good part of the time.  Just ask my husband.  However, I am incredibly fortunate to have a very supportive spouse — that means everything.  Our nanny, Dina, is also a wonderful girl that loves Zack very much, and what I do would not be possible without her.  Also, I never let it enter my mind, that I would become something or someone that I am not, just because I became a Mom.  I am a cellist — a musician and artist, and always have been.  Now I happen to be a cellist/musician/artist/incredibly blessed Mom.
Also, I don’t sleep anymore!!!

Stone and Steel is an amazing CD and I know you are all going to love it! Everything about the CD is beautiful, from the music to the disc art itself. Stones and Steel is currently available at Amazon and on iTunes. Also, check out Kristina’s website to see if she’ll be coming your way on her tour. I’m excited that she will be in my area this February!!!

We are excited to be giving away FIVE copies of Kristina Reiko Cooper’s Stones and Steel here at 5 Minutes for Giveaways. Trust me, you want to win this CD! To enter simply leave a comment on this post by Friday, November 6th. The FIVE winners will be announced on Saturday, November 7th.

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This giveaway is open to US and Canadian addresses!

Written by 5 Minutes for Mom Contributing Editor: Stacey Lynn