The Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts (SOPA) has appointed harpist Rachel Lee O’Brien (formerly Rachel Lee Hall) to its music faculty. “I am honored to have been chosen to build this brand new harp program at Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts,” O’Brien says. “College is a wildly transformative season, and I credit much of my career success to having a college teacher who truly invested in me. It is thrilling to now be the one doing the investing!”
O’Brien says the program is well-suited for undergraduate harpists pursuing a music major or minor. “[Virginia Tech] offers chamber and orchestral instruction from world-class teachers as well as avenues in music education, composition, jazz, and technology—all in the heart of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains,” she says.
“We’re excited to welcome Rachel to our faculty,” said Dr. Jason Crafton, chair of SOPA’s music program. “Her experience as a performer and educator will be a great asset to our students and the broader music community at Virginia Tech.”
O’Brien is the 2019 gold medal winner of the Houston Symphony Orchestra’s Ima Hogg Competition and one of the winners of the Astral Artists 2017 National Auditions and of the 2013 Lyon & Healy Awards. O’Brien has appeared as a concert soloist with orchestras such as the Houston Symphony Orchestra, members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, the National Repertory Orchestra, and the Cleveland Institute of Music Symphony Orchestra. O’Brien has also performed as a guest orchestral harpist with the Cleveland Orchestra, the Akron Symphony Orchestra, the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, and Opera Roanoke, and as a fellow with the National Repertory Orchestra. She is a member of the Harvest Arts Chamber Ensemble and a former member of the Astralis Chamber Ensemble.
O’Brien holds Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied harp performance under Yolanda Kondonassis. She is also the author of the book Purpose in Practice: 26 Rules for the Practicing Musician (along with a corresponding practice journal), which she says was designed to inspire and motivate musicians to achieve their highest practice room goals. Check out her article “Practice Makes Progress” in the July-August 2020 issue of Harp Column, as well as her “How to Practice” studio at Harp Column Academy, to learn more.
For more information about the music program, visit the Virginia Tech SOPA website.
