Rachel Waters

Rachel was born and bred in South East Wales and was fortunate to have been introduced to music at a young age. After discovering singing and the piano, she took up the cello at the age of 8 and the oboe at 13 and soon began playing in many ensembles (both in school and in Gwent Music Support Service). She became a member of the National Youth Choir of Wales at the age of 16 and the National Youth Orchestra of Wales the following year. She went on to win a scholarship to study Music at Cardiff University, eventually specialising in cello performance (under Dewi Watkins) and music analysis and becoming a very active member of the performing scene. In 2007, she founded the Aylestone String Quartet with other students on her course and they are now a regularly performing quartet who specialise in music for weddings and functions. One of the highlights of her performing career at this time was playing the solo cello part for Martin Ellerby’s Via Crusis (a work for solo cello and wind band) in the Schools Proms at the Royal Albert Hall. After graduating in 2010, Rachel felt she wanted to pursue the performing aspect of her studies further and was awarded a place on the MA Music Performance course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama to study part-time from 2010 to 2012 under Peter Esswood. Studying at RWCMD brought Rachel many fantastic performing opportunities. As well as being principal cellist of the Symphony, Chamber, String and Opera orchestras, she was also successful in auditioning for placements with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera. As well as orchestral work, RWCMD gave Rachel the chance to broaden her solo and chamber music repertoire through both regular lessons and chamber music coaching and through masterclasses and lessons with artists such as Leonid Gorokhov, Alice Neary, Rosie Biss, David Adams and John Senter. Whilst studying and since graduating, Rachel has maintained an active performing and teaching diary. She regularly plays in pit orchestras, accompanying orchestras, string quartets and other ensembles, as well as for orchestras such as Sinfonia Cymru, Cardiff Sinfonietta, Dartington Festival Orchestra and the Welsh Musical Theatre Orchestra. She regularly records for various bands and TV companies and, when she can, pursues her love of singing by performing with the BBC National Chorus of Wales. Rachel believes in sharing her love of music with others by teaching the piano, cello, double bass and music theory both privately and for Gwent Music. She teaches a wide variety of ages and abilities in many different settings and also conducts various junior / youth orchestras.