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Rachel Frederiksen, bassoon
Rachel Frederiksen is an in-demand bassoonist and educator who is based in Fayetteville, Arkansas. As a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player, she performs across the United States and abroad. As a teacher and pedagogue, she has educated many bassoonists in university masterclasses, conferences, and lessons, and previously held positions at the University of Alabama and the University of Texas at San Antonio as Lecturer of Bassoon. Her current position is Teaching Assistant Professor of Bassoon at the University of Arkansas.
As a soloist, Rachel performed her Tour of South America recital at the 2022 International Double Reed Society in Boulder, CO and in San Germán, Puerto Rico at the Puerto Rico Center for Collaborative Piano Festival where she served as a guest artist and faculty member. She also performed the world premiere of her second transcription of Emilie Mayer’s violin sonata in E Minor on her faculty recital in fall of 2022. As a recording artist, Rachel can be heard on Ricardo Lorenz’s chamber CD, Open Borders, which was released in December 2020. Currently, Rachel is in the editing stage of her recent recording project of the consortium piece Rude Moods, an unaccompanied bassoon suite by Aaron Houston.
In demand as an orchestral musician, Rachel freelances with symphonies in the area, such as Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA). She previously served as Principal Bassoon with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra for 2022-2023 season. She was also a section bassoonist of the Symphony of the Hills orchestra for the 2021-2022 season as well as guest appearances with many other ensembles including Victoria Symphony and SA Harmonia. As a chamber musician, she is the bassoonist of Lyrique Qunitette, the University of Arkansas’ resident faculty quintet. She has also performed regularly at festivals and venues throughout the United States including International Double Reed Society conferences, MegQuigley Bassoon Symposium, and the Memphis International Prizm Chamber Ensemble Festival.
As a researcher and academic, Rachel is actively investigating the life and works of German composer Emilie Mayer, and keenly transcribing her violin sonatas to be performable on bassoon. She also focuses on undergraduate teaching techniques and student learning in higher education in both private bassoon lessons and classroom teaching. Rachel has delivered presentations and masterclasses at universities and festivals internationally including the 2022 IDRS conference, PRCCP, and 2021 MegQuigley Bassoon Symposium, Columbus State University, Memphis University, and the University of Southern Mississippi, among many others.
Dr. Rachel Frederiksen completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Michigan State University. She holds a Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education degrees from Texas Lutheran University and a Master of Music and Master of Music Education degrees from Baylor University, where she was inducted into the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Fraternity. When she is not busy teaching, performing, or reed-making, you can find Rachel hanging out with her friends or helping her parents with their many basset hounds and cats in their home in Texas.