Originally from Indiana, Rachel Yoder is a graduate student, teacher, and freelance musician in the Dallas – Fort Worth area. She is currently working towards a doctorate in clarinet performance at the University of North Texas where she is a student of James Gillespie. She also holds degrees in music education from Ball State University and clarinet performance from Michigan State University.
Rachel was a winner of the UNT Concerto Competition in 2009, performing Scott McCallister's X with the UNT Symphony Orchestra. As a Teaching Fellow in clarinet for UNT, Rachel teaches undergraduates in addition to maintaining a private studio of middle and high school students in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She has performed and recorded with the UNT Wind Symphony, performed as principal clarinet with the UNT Chamber Orchestra and Opera Orchestra, and is currently bass clarinetist for the Sherman Symphony and the UNT Symphony Orchestra.
Rachel is a member of the NOVA new music ensemble at UNT and enjoys collaborating with composition students and faculty to perform new works for clarinet. She has performed works for clarinet and electronics at LaTex electroacoustic festivals in Denton and Houston, TX, and at the Pixilerations festival in Providence, RI.
In addition to performing with more traditional chamber ensembles such as the Madera Winds woodwind quintet, Rachel is bass clarinetist with the electronic/classical Chameleon Chamber Group. She also plays with the improv group Interstellar Space Collective based in Denton, TX, and has recorded with several bands including Shearwater, on their latest album “Rook.”
Rachel is co-author of “Clarinet Cache,” a regular column and blog about web content for The Clarinet. Visit Rachel online by clicking here.
What you probably don't know about Rachel:
Her great-grandfather was Amish. She is a huge fan of sour cream. She really loves Sousa marches.
