About Rachel

Rachel Brown is a Chicago-based chamber musician, soloist, orchestral performer,  educator, and arts administrator. 

Violinist

 After three years as a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, she is now the Associate Principal Second Violin of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and also performs with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Rockford Symphony Orchestra, American Music Festivals Orchestra, and Fort Wayne Philharmonic.  She appears regularly as Concertmaster with Folks Operetta.   Previously, she held the Associate Concertmaster chair with the Northbrook Symphony Orchestra.

 Rachel performs regularly with her chamber ensemble, The Ursa Ensemble.  In addition, she is a frequent guest on the acclaimed LoftRecital series in Minneapolis. Equally inspired by music outside the classical world, Rachel has performed with popular music and jazz artists ranging from Ben Folds to Michael Bublé, Barcelona, and Sarah Brightman.   

Rachel is dedicated to continuing the existence of art music by performing and commissioning contemporary works.  She has given countless world premiers, has performed with ensembles such as Ensemble Dal Niente, Fifth House Ensemble, Eighth Blackbird, and  Ensemble 20+, and has worked with world-renowned composers such as Augusta Read Thomas, Bernard Rands, Mark-Anthony Turnage, Rodolfo Acosta, Pierce Gradone, Jeff Kowalkowski, Geroge Flynn. and Mathias Spahlinger.

Ms. Brown holds a Certificate of Performance and a Master of Music degree from DePaul University’s School of Music, where she studied with Ilya Kaler and held the Concertmaster chair of the school’s elite Symphony Orchestra.  She earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where she studied with Lenora Anop, and was the only student in history to twice win the school’s annual Concerto Competition.  Additionally, Rachel holds a High School Diploma from the Interlochen Arts Academy.  

Educator

Extremely devoted to educating future generations of musicians and music-lovers, Rachel is the Music Department Chair at the Chicago Academy for the Arts.  Additionally, she is a violin instructor at The Musical Offering.  Previously, she held instructor positions at Truman College and Harold Washington College, two of the City Colleges of Chicago.

The Chicago Academy for the Arts is the nation’s premier private, independent arts high school.  The music program prepares students for conservatory training or a career in the current art world; it also trains students to create the art world of the future.  Rachel’s music department students undergo rigorous but diverse training to gain mastery in four components of musical training:  Classical, Jazz, Commercial, and Experimental.  In addition to teaching violin lessons at The Academy, Rachel has created and teaches the department’s musicianship curriculum.  Her four-year coursework breaks from the traditional curriculum of Western European Art Music; instead, students explore everything from Jazz to Gamelan to Classical Indian Music to Hamilton!  

Arts Administrator

Ms. Brown is currently the Executive Director of the Chicago-based chamber group, Ursa Ensemble, of which she is also a founding member.  The group focuses on engaging unique audiences in the chamber music repertoire by working with collaborative artists and curating programs that directly involve the listener.   The Ursa ensemble has performed at a variety of locations across the Midwest including Constellation Chicago, Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, The Green Mill Jazz Lounge, DePaul University School of Music, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the DANK Haus, Tavern of Fine Arts, The Musical Offering, Uncommon Ground, PianoForte Studios, and the Narloch Piano Studio.  They have been highlighted in festivals such as Chicago Artists Month, The Ravenswood Art Walk, Narlochpolooza, and the Thirsty Ears Festival.  

Ursa Ensemble members are fiercely dedicated to making Western Art Music less intimidating, but still deeply moving, to the uninitiated listener.  Their flagship Collaboration in Concert (CIC) series gives listeners the opportunity to create an art piece under the tutelage of a professional painter, poet, author, photographer, or other artist, while gaining direction from the ensemble’s live music. CIC events have led the Ursas into all sorts of arenas, allowing them to work with and perform for an extremely diverse audience: elementary school students at Catalyst Circle Rock Charter School in Chicago’s low-income, Austin neighborhood; college students at Harold Washington College in Chicago’s Loop; young writers-in-the-making at 826CHI; even trendy bar-hoppers at the Tavern of Fine Arts in St. Louis.   Past CIC events have involved collaborations with artists in a wide range of expertises, including photographer Michael Schoeneweis, author Michael San Gabino, printmaker Sarah Adams, painter Lewis Achenbach, and painter Melanie Brown.