Rachel was born in Wrexham, North Wales in July 1990. She started learning music from an early age, and after briefly playing the violin, she began to learn to play clarinet, aged 9 and taught herself to play flute when she started secondary school. Aged 14, Rachel was identified by Wrexham Music Services as a talented musician and was invited to take up the bassoon. Within 3 months of being given a county bassoon to play she found herself playing in the county wind band and the county youth orchestra. She then went on to tour 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 and she is also guest bassoonist for North Powys Youth Orchestra. 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 The National Festival of Music For Youth in 2007, and played in Birmingham Town Hall.


Since 2006, Rachel has been a member of the National Youth Wind Orchestra of Wales playing bassoon and doubling on contra bassoon. In 2009 she completed a successful concert tour to Luxembourg with them.
In 2009 Rachel gained a place in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, and joined them on their UK tour. This tour included concerts in St David’s Cathedral and St David’s Hall in Cardiff, Hereford Cathedral, The Sage in Gateshead and the Adrian Boult Hall in Birmingham.

In 2008, Rachel began studying for a BA(Hons) Music at Leeds College of Music (LCM). She studied bassoon with Luke Whitehead, contra bassoon with Tim Whittick, and saxophone with Sarah Markham. Throughout her studies she was Principal Bassoonist in the Leeds College of Music Community Symphony Orchestra, Leeds College of Music Opera Orchestra and has played in the College's Sinfonietta, wind orchestra and Pit Band doubling on flute, clarinet, bassoon and baritone saxophone. Rachel completed her BA(Hons) degree in June 2011.

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.

Now that Rachel has left college, she is hoping to spend some time working in West End Musicals either in London or on tour, as well as entertaining guests at weddings and events as she does now.

*CV's are available on request.