Rachel Larsen
Rachel (she/her) has a background in Classical Voice with a degree in music from San Francisco State University and a Minor in Special Education. She has worked with professional choruses such as The San Francisco Symphony Chorus and the cathedral choirs at St. Mary’s Cathedral (San Francisco) and Christ the Light (Oakland). She is one third of the chamber ensemble Lotus Trio, a member of the world renowned Philippine Saringhimig Singers, and sings supporting vocals for Bay Area dream-pop/synth artist, Containher. Rachel has experience singing multiple genres, and has even been the lead singer of jazz ensembles and a 90’s cover band called Saved By The Cowbell.
Her strength lies in developing a strong technical foundation while allowing her students to explore multiple genres. What makes her really happy is helping people people find their voice and use it in a way that is rewarding and joyful for them.
Aside from teaching and singing, Rachel also leads music therapy sessions with people in recovery from Eating Disorders, and when she’s not working, she’s either dancing, cooking, working out, or singing karaoke with friends. Her personal experiences of working through stage fright, the inner-critic, and building self-confidence play a huge role in her motivation as a teacher. Her approach to teaching is a blend of skillful technique with compassion and empathy. She loves seeing her students light up as they begin to make breakthrough connections with music, their voice, and ultimately, experiencing freedom in the sound they are looking to create. Rachel has been with Songbird since 2019.