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Since taking up the steelpan (steel drum) as a founder member of the Radcliffe Rollers Steelband in 1985 Rachel's credentials have been unmatched. She won the UK National Soloist's Competition and was placed fourth in the World Championships in Trinidad and Tobago, apparently the only European ever to reach the finals. Although she trained as an orchestral double-bass player at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where she gained her GGSM and susequently took an MA in music performance at the City of London University, she has, for the last twelve years, performed throughout the UK, Europe and Caribbean as a steelpan soloist.
As such she has performed with such prestigious groups as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (at the Holder's Opera Festival, Barbados) and the London Sinfonietta (Festival Hall, London). She has performed live in Radio Four's "Women's Hour" (twice!) and on Dave Gorman's "Genius", on Radio Two with The Classic Buskers, and on Radio Three where she was a featured soloist in the Hear And Now contemporary music series. Television credits include Meridian's "Three Minutes", "The Exchange", and various news programmes.
She has arranged for steelbands in both Trinidad and UK, and was the first European to arrange for a major Trinidadian steel orchestra - The Skiffle Bunch (world champions - 2000) and has played in Panoramas in Notting Hill and Port Of Spain, with Starlift, Hummingbird-Odyssey Pan Groove, and Eclipse. She recently made her debut at the world-renowned 606 jazz club in Chelsea, where she was a guest artist with the Russell Henderson Trio.
Her school and youth bands regularly win prizes in local and national music festivals, most recently the Dollis Deep Pans (from Mill Hill, London) won a Highly Commended certificate at the National Festival of Music For Youth.
Her 5th CD - "Priestess Of Pan" - was launched in December 2008 and has received critical acclaim from top pan players and tuners: Musician magazine describes it as a "world class exhibition of steelpan artistry...Top Drawer."
The CD takes you on an eclectic and exciting journey through a wide variety of styles and genres, ranging from classical solos to big production calypsos. Please email for purchase details. Limited numbers of the EP "Lady Raygun" - a charity EP are also available through her website - http://www.steelpan.co.uk
Currently she performs at a wide variety of venues ranging from corporate events, barbeques and promotions, through to private functions, cocktail receptions, wedding receptions, shopping malls, garden centres and Caribbean-themed events of all types. The featured tracks - "Carnival is Fuh Woman" "Margie" and "California Dreaming" are typical of the repertoire she plays at these types of functions. Booking enquiries are most welcome, but please be warned that the summer season does get very busy so advance contact is strongly advisable!
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