My Music Story
I live and breathe music; always have and always will. As a child, I would sing and dance around the house, until I got too self conscious around age 10. I started playing the clarinet in the 6th grade, and I loved that I could hide behind my instrument and channel my emotions into the music. Now I’m learning to stop hiding behind the instrument and let the instrument be an extension of myself, a tool for my creativity and expression.
As a lifelong musician and a passionate educator, I aim to share my love of music with students and audiences alike. I grew up a band nerd, became a music teacher, and started singing in front of people a little more each day! These days, I am working on my master’s in clarinet performance at GSU as well as writing and singing songs with my lovely partner.
Rachel Odendahl is a clarinetist and music educator based in the Atlanta area, pursuing a Master’s degree in Orchestral Performance at Georgia State University, where she received her B.M. in Music Education in 2020. As a music educator, she has worked with students of all ages across Fulton, Cherokee, and Henry County Schools. She also spent two years teaching middle school band in Atlanta Public Schools. She is currently a Fine Arts Coach at Ridgeview Charter Middle School, teaching clarinet sectionals. In her time at Georgia State, Rachel has performed with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the University Symphony Orchestra, and Wind Orchestra.
As principal clarinetist of the University Symphony Orchestra, she has performed many significant works in the orchestral repertoire, including Rimsky Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol and Samuel Barber’s Knoxville, Summer of 1915. With the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, she had the joy of performing the world premiere of the wind band work Fragile Oasis by Peter Meechan. Outside of large ensembles, Rachel has enjoyed playing in a variety of chamber music contexts including Woodwind Trio, Woodwind Quartet, Woodwind Quintet, Woodwind Octet, and Clarinet Choir. As a clarinetist, she has studied with Dr. Kenneth Long, and has performed in masterclasses for esteemed guest artists like Anat Cohen, Jazz Clarinetist; Michael Lowenstern, Bass Clarinetist and Composer; Diana Haskell, associate principal clarinetist with the St. Louis Symphony; and Gunnery Sergeant John Mula of the President’s Own Marine Band. She plans to continue expanding her teaching and playing experiences in Atlanta as she completes her M.M., hoping to establish a private clarinet studio in the area.