Rachel Grider Classical Singer from Modesto, CA

Soprano Rachel Grider brings a depth of spirituality and musicality to her performances, allowing audiences to experience a sense of connectivity and community through music. Her work as a performer seeks to inspire others to access new perspectives, reach deeper understandings, and fulfill their greatest potentials. The heart of Rachel's performing focuses on concert and oratorio works, art song, and sacred music. She has a particular affinity for the nineteenth-century Russian repertoire, which she studied in depth with Vera Danchenko-Stern and John Shirley-Quirk at the Peabody Conservatory. In 2012, she was invited to perform at the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C. In concert, Rachel has been seen as the soprano soloist for Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Handel's Messiah, in addition to returning to CSU Stanislaus as a guest soloist for a performance of Steve Reich's Music for Eighteen Musicians. She has also performed the role of Mary Magdalene in Rob Gardner's Easter oratorio, Lamb of God, with the Temple Hill Orchestra in Oakland, California. As someone who is blind, Rachel has overcome adversity as well as the limiting beliefs of others to excel in the areas of performance, music theory, and composition. Originally from Modesto, Rachel began her serious foray into music at California State University, Stanislaus, where she received dual Bachelor of Music degrees in Vocal Performance and Composition. She continued her studies at the Peabody Conservatory, where she graduated with dual Master of Music degrees in Voice Performance and Music Theory Pedagogy. Ms. Grider has performed the roles of Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Geraldine (A Hand of Bridge), Brigitte (Marilyn's Room), and Bridget Booth (The Crucible), and in scenes as Cunegonde (Candide), Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor), Lakmé (Lakmé), Sophie (Werther), and Frasquita (Carmen) with organizations including Townsend Opera Players, Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival, Redwoods Opera Workshop, and Peabody Opera Theatre. She has also been a member of various choral groups, including the Modesto Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Peabody Renaissance Ensemble, and Baltimore Choral Arts Society. In 2018, she attended SongFest, a young artist program focusing on art song. Rachel is a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society and the Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity. She currently resides in Modesto, where she teaches at the Modesto Academy of Music and Design, as well as maintaining a private voice studio.