Rachel was born in Wrexham, North Wales in July 1990. After dabbling briefly
with violin whilst at The Rofft Primary School, Rachel began to learn to play
clarinet, aged 9 and taught herself to play flute when she started secondary
school.
When she was 14, Rachel was identified, by Wrexham Music Services, as a talented
musician and was asked to take up the bassoon. Within weeks of being given a
county bassoon to play, she found herself playing in the county’s wind band and
3 months later having less than 30 minutes of tuition a week, she played it with
the Wrexham Youth Orchestra. She toured with the Wrexham Senior County Band to
Belgium in 2006, and Holland in 2008.
Rachel has been the principal bassoonist for North Wales Youth Orchestra and the
Four Counties Youth Orchestra. She is also guest bassoonist for North Powys
Youth Orchestra which doesn’t have a bassoonist of its own. A highlight of
playing with North Powys Youth Orchestra was performing in a firework concert
alongside the Fron Male Voice Choir.
In 2006, Rachel taught herself to play Saxophone after being asked to play in a
local quartet, and the school’s quartet, which later became known as ‘Saxafaction’.
The group was very successful in competitions, winning their category in the
Chester Music Festival, and winning the overall prize in the Wrexham Music
Festival. They also managed to get to the finals of Music For Youth in
Birmingham in 2007.
It was also in 2006 that Rachel started bassoon lessons with Hazel Barrett and
through Hazel met Alan Pendlebury, Principal Bassoon with The Royal Liverpool
Philharmonic Orchestra who now takes an active role in mentoring Rachel.
Since 2008, Rachel has been studying for a BA(Hons) Music at Leeds College of
Music (LCM). She is studying bassoon with Sebastian New of Opera North, contra
bassoon with Tim Whittick, and saxophone with Sarah Markham. At College Rachel
is currently the principle bassoonist in the Leeds Community Symphony Orchestra,
LCM Opera Orchestra and has played in the LCM Sinfonietta and LCM Pit Band
doubling on flute, clarinet, bassoon and baritone saxophone.
Since 2006, Rachel has been a member of the National Youth Wind Orchestra of
Wales playing bassoon and doubling on contra bassoon. Last year she completed a
successful concert tour to Luxembourg with them.
In 2009 Rachel gained a place in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, on
bassoon, and is looking forward to joining them on their 2010 UK tour during the
summer now playing contra bassoon. This tour includes concerts in St David’s
Cathedral and St David’s Hall in Cardiff.
Rachel also has a passion for arranging music for bassoon quartets. She records
the pieces in her free time at College, multi-tracking herself to play all the
parts.
After leaving college, Rachel would like to do some work on cruise liners,
doubling on all of her instruments, and would also like to have work in West End
Musicals either in London or on tour, before settling down into a full-time
orchestra job.