welcome
to the digital domain of
Massachusetts-based clarinetist, woodwind doubler, and music educator, Rachel Hertz is building community through moving performances and nurturing education. Rachel’s passion for education and chamber music has led them to serve on the faculty of Northampton Community Music Center, teach private lessons to students in Belchertown Public Schools, play with the Valley Winds, and regularly gig throughout New England. Rachel studied Music Education and Clarinet Performance at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where they were a student of Romie de Guise-Langlois (BM, BME ‘24). While at UMass, Rachel was awarded the Theodore Presser and Susan Campell Scholarships. Rachel maintains an active career as a freelancer, doubler, and educator, and hopes to take on projects in chamber music and new music that focuses on the programming of underrepresented composers.
Their work as a freelance clarinetist has led them to gigs with the Lowell Philharmonic, Firebird Pops Orchestra, Five College Orchestras, and New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Rachel has attended Domaine Forget, ARIA Academy, Minnesota Clarinet Festival, and the inaugural Akropolis Chamber Music Institute as a clarinetist and chamber musician. They have worked as a woodwind doubler for Speakeasy Stage Company, Un-Common Theatre Company, Calliope Theatre, and many middle and high schools across MA and CT. Rachel has studied with Laura Grant, Brian McCurdy, Bixby Kennedy, Todd Cope, Afendi Yusuf, Nicholas Balderou, and Romie de Guise Langlois.
At Northampton Community Music Center, Rachel teaches private lessons, group classes, and coaches chamber music to 5th graders through octogenarians. Their playing can be heard with the UMass Wind Ensemble on the CD “Synchronous - New Works for Trombone for Wind Ensemble” and with the Valley Winds on soon-to-be-published reference recordings for Cumbia Moderna (R. Torres) and Kauyumari (G. Ortiz arr. M. Brignolo). More playing samples can be viewed at their website.
In their free time, Rachel enjoys practicing clarinet, talking walks around Puffers Pond, and checking out books at their local library. Rachel also loves to spend time with their cat, Miso.
