Rachel Grubb

Class of: Spring 2010
Major: College Scholars: Conducting and Violin Performance
Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee
High School: Bearden High School

Rachel Grubb is currently working towards the prestigious College Scholars
degree in Conducting and Violin Performance at the UT. Her mentor in both the Chancellor’s Honors Program and College Scholars is Professor James Fellenbaum, the Director of Orchestras and Orchestral Conducting Professor at UT.

Last summer, Rachel was the Assistant Conductor for Missouri Symphony Orchestra’s “Hot Summer Nights Festival,” and this season, she is the Assistant Conductor of the Symphony of the Mountains in Kingsport, TN and the Founding Music Director of the Oak Ridge Youth Symphony Orchestra. Her recent American guest conducting appearances include the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Astoria Music Society Orchestra (NYC), The University of Tennessee Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, The American Youth Philharmonic (Washington D.C.), The Oak Ridge Community Orchestra, the Columbia Chorale, and Knoxville area choirs and orchestras. In summer 2007, she guest conducted the Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic in the Czech Republic.

During the summers, Rachel has continued her music studies by attending prestigious music festivals such as the Aspen Music Festival and School (CO), the International Workshop for Conductors in Czech Republic, the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors, Sewanee Music Festival, the Conservatory Music in the Mountains in Colorado, and the Music Academy at Schloss Ort in Austria.

When not on the podium, Rachel plays violin in the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and is the Principal Second Violinist of the UT Symphony Orchestra.

After completing her undergraduate education, Rachel hopes to earn masters and post-graduate degrees in conducting, and then go on to audition for jobs as Assistant Conductor for a professional symphony orchestra. Eventually, she aspires to have a career as a Music Director of a regional symphony orchestra and opera company.