Rachel Thomas

I was lucky to grow up in a very musical household and began playing trombone at ten years of age. In my early teens, the Canadian Brass did a residency at my school; that made a huge impression on me! Throughout high school, I played in The Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and spent my summers either at the National Youth Orchestra of Canada or The Banff Centre for the Arts where I was exposed to many top international teachers and coaches. I then went off to the University of Toronto where I studied with Gordon Sweeney, Principal Trombone of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO).

Upon graduation from the University of Toronto in 1988, I was immediately immersed into a busy freelance career. I was a regular extra with the TSO for over twenty years, joining them on two European tours, one of which I had the privilege of performing as Acting Principal. At the same time, I became a member of the Great Lakes Brass Quintet, a highly acclaimed, full-time touring ensemble. In addition to this, I also performed as Principal Trombone with Orchestra London, the Hamilton Philharmonic, Symphony Nova Scotia and toured with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet across Canada and parts of the US.

In 1992, I was awarded a Canada Council grant to study with Joseph Alessi, Principal Trombone of the New York Philharmonic. Shortly after my return, I won my position with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony (KWS) as Second Trombone.

During my tenure with the KWS, I continue to be a highly sought-after freelancer. I have performed with the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra as Acting Principal and participated in the International Women’s Brass Conference performing with the Monarch Brass Ensemble. Among a myriad of freelance gigs, I can be heard on an episode of the hit show Murdoch Mysteries and made a brief appearance in the Netflix series, The Umbrella Academy.

Despite all this or because of it, I bring tons of energy, enthusiasm and many years of experience to my teaching studio.