Rachel Frederikson

Bassoon Soloist

Dr. Rachel Frederiksen is an active freelance bassoonist and educator from New Braunfels, TX. She currently teaches a large studio in the San Antonio area and serves as second bassoonist for the Symphony of the Hills orchestra in Kerrville, TX. Her students have found continued success in Texas and Michigan All-State competitions and have gone on to universities such as San Angelo State University, University of North Texas, and Michigan State University.

As an artist, Dr. Frederiksen is a collaborator on Ricardo Lorenz’s chamber CD, Open Borders, which was released this past December. ‘Tendril Rapture’ was written for oboe, bassoon, and piano as part of a commissioning project that was funded through a grant award from the 2019 MSU Running Start Entrepreneurship Competition. She recently performed at the 2019 International Double Reed Society Conference in Tampa, FL and has received an invitation to virtually perform her 2020 proposal for the 2nd Annual Virtual Symposium this year.

As a researcher, Dr. Frederiksen is a part of a team of researchers and artists from the Michigan State University Residential College of Arts and Humanities (RCAH) Fellowship Program. Their project, titled ‘Love the Learner,’ investigates professor/student relationships and their effects on student learning. The preliminary findings show that developing deeper connections with students, having student input on class structure and topics, and having clear personal and work boundaries allow for positive learning environments. Personally, Dr. Frederiksen focuses on undergraduate teaching techniques and student learning in higher education in both private bassoon lessons and classroom teaching.

Dr. 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 Dr. Frederiksen hanging out with friends or helping her parents with their many basset hounds and cats.