sKaren Stowe is a lifelong musician.  She began piano lessons at the age of 6 and has been a church pianist for many years.  She sang in school, church and community choirs throughout her school years, and was the drum major of her high school marching band, playing the glockenspiel during the off seasons.   She became a Registered Nurse and delighted in her work in area hospitals and doctor’s offices.  She began her studies in harp at the age of 24, studying under Elisa Dickon, former harpist for the Virginia Symphony.  A career in performance never interested her, and when a friend shared with her the study of therapeutic music, she was instantly interested.  She became a Certified Music Practitioner through the Music for Healing and Transition program based in New York in 2005. With the harp, Karen realized that she would have the opportunity to serve others with the peaceful and unique sound that comes from its strings.   She was employed by Bon Secours DePaul Medical Center from 2005 to 2018 and provided hundreds of hours of live therapeutic music to create a healing environment. Currently she regularly provides therapeutic music at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital and Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital, as well in various memory-care and assisted living facilities throughout the Tidewater, Virginia area.  She partners regularly with Tidewater Arts Outreach, whose mission is to bring joy to older adults and those living in isolating circumstances and enhance their well-being through creative engagement with the arts.  In addition, she regularly plays for weddings, parties, church services, and community events.

Karen lives in Norfolk, VA with her husband Clifton and 3-pawed cat, Nike.  She enjoys singing in her church choir and playing in the hand bell choir, crocheting, reading, and eating chocolate.  She is especially talented at talking!

Stephen Rivele says "The vibrations in the air are the breath of God speaking to a man's soul. Music is the language of God."   She feels blessed to be sharing this language of God with others. For “who among us has not found peace in a song?’ (Victor Hugo)