NewMusic

Rachel Ku, Viola

Violist Rachel Ku joined the Philadelphia Orchestra as its youngest member in September, 2004 at the age of 19. She has been studying viola since age eight and piano since age five, and made her solo debut in Taipei in 1995. She has since made solo appearances with the Witherspoon Chamber Orchestra, the Dwun-Hwa Orchestra, the Rice University Chamber Orchestra, and the Curtis Chamber Ensemble. In January, 2005 Rachel performed Hindemith’s “Der Schwanendreher” as soloist with the Delaware Symphony Orchestra as part of the orchestra’s subscription concert series.

Rachel has received several awards and honors, including first prize in the 2004 Delaware Symphony Orchestra Young Soloist Competition and second prize in the 2002 Riverside Symphonia Caprio Young Artists Competition. She was rewarded first prize at the 1997 Taiwan National Viola Competition. During the summers, she has participated in numerous music festivals such as Marlboro, Sarasota, Kneisel Hall, Taos, Angel Fire, and Encore School for Strings. She has collaborated as chamber musician with such artists as Steven Isserlis, Julian Rachlin, Chantal Juillet, David Kim, Arnold Steinhardt, and Marcy Rosen.

In May, 2004 Rachel graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree from the Curtis Institute of Music. She was principal viola of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra for the 2002-2003 season. At Curtis, she studied viola with Joseph dePasquale, former principal viola of the Philadelphia Orchestra. In addition to teaching private lessons, Rachel is also a faculty member at the Csehy Summer School of Music and the International Strings Music Festival.