Rachel Watson

Rachel is a baroque and modern cellist with a wide range of interests. She is a graduate of the University of Oxford and Royal Welsh Colllege of Music and Drama, and is in the final stages of completing a PhD at King’s College London. From 2017-2021 she was the Artistic Director of Scordatura Collective, a mixed ensemble that performed and promoted music composed by women.

Rachel is a passionate advocate for music education, and has dedicated much of her career to teaching. Since 2019 she has taught for leading music education charity Music Masters, where she is now a staff teacher, school lead and mentor. She also teaches privately from her home studio in Sydenham, South East London.

In addition to the cello, Rachel pursues a number of research interests. Her PhD examines female orchestral musicians in London at the end of the nineteenth century, and she has given conference papers of ladies’ orchestras in variety theatre and the English Ladies’ Orchestral Society. She also lectures on the Music Masters Musicians of Change PGCEi course, accredited by Birmingham City University. Recent topics have included the nature of musical learning, and creativity.