About Me

Filipino-American flutist, Dr. Rachel Reyes (she/her), performs in a variety of engagements as a soloist, chamber collaborator, large ensemble musician, and educator. She is dedicated to highlighting works by living composers and underrepresented communities. Currently, she performs with the Lake Washington Symphony Orchestra and Seattle Modern Orchestra. Reyes has collaborated with Sandbox Percussion, Washington-based woodwind quintet Winds5, and the Phinney Ridge Steel Band. Alongside performing, Dr. Reyes is deeply passionate about teaching and has a private studio in Lynnwood, WA. She is the Assistant Conductor of the Bellevue Youth Symphony (BYSO) Flute Orchestra and Flute Choir and Flute Coach for the BYSO Overture Orchestra. Rachel also is a Chamber Music Coach at the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra’s Conservatory of Music.

Her musical successes include winning the 2024 University of Washington Concerto Competition, 2023 National Flute Association Masterclass Competition, 2022 Arizona Flute Society Graduate/Professional Competition, and 2022 Sewanee Summer Music Festival Jacqueline Avent Concerto Competition. Rachel has spent summers at the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival, Sewanee Summer Music Festival, Brevard Music Institute, and ARIA International Summer Music Academy. 

As a soloist, Dr. Reyes has performed concerti with the University of Washington Symphony Orchestra, University of Washington Wind Ensemble, and the Sewanee Festival Orchestra. Rachel has premiered works with the Seattle Modern Orchestra, the University of Washington Modern Music Ensemble, and in various performances in Washington, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, and New York. Reyes has performed with the Seattle Symphony, Seattle Modern Orchestra, Lake Washington Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra, Octava Symphony Orchestra, and Northwest Symphony Orchestra.

Additionally, she has performed and taught internationally in the Philippines and China. Recently, she led a public masterclass at the University of the Philippines Diliman College of Music. In 2019, she was invited to perform and teach masterclasses as principal of the University of Washington Wind Ensemble on their performance tour of China in Beijing, Chengdu, and Xi’an.

Reyes earned her Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Washington (UW) where she served as a Teaching Assistant. At the UW, she performed with the Symphony Orchestra and Modern Music Ensemble. Reyes has taught and led Chamber Music Lab, Studio Classes, Orchestral Excerpt Classes, Woodwind Methods, Modern Music Ensemble, Music Appreciation, and Flute Lessons. She received a Bachelor’s in Orchestral Instruments - Flute Performance from the University of Washington and a Master’s in Flute Performance from Arizona State University. She has studied with Professor Donna Shin, Dr. Elizabeth Buck, Dr. Zart Dombourian-Eby, Jeffery Barker, and Iris Ingram.

Outside of music, Rachel enjoys cozy days with her dog Pochacco, exploring new restaurants with friends, and catching up on her much too long To Be Read list!