Trombonist Rachel Castellanos is a native of the Chicago area. She is currently a performing member of the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra. Rachel has also performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Tucson Symphony, and the Orquesta Sinfonica UANL in Monterrey, Mexico, among many others. Her versatility as a musician has lent her opportunities to perform with artists such as the Joffrey Ballet, Ben Folds, Janelle Monet, Andrea Bocelli, Pete Townshend, Clark Terry, and Slide Hampton.
Rachel is an active chamber music artist. She is a current and founding member of both the New Chicago Brass and the Ottava Quartet. Rachel formerly was a member and toured with the Alliance Brass Quintet.
After graduating from Oberlin Conservatory in 2008 with a double major in Orchestral and Jazz trombone performance, Rachel returned home to complete her Master’s at the DePaul School of Music. Her pursuits lead her to continue her studies at the Chicago College of the Performing Arts.
When not involved in musical activities, Rachel enjoys practicing yoga and spending time with her family.
“I choose to proudly play Edwards trombones because it is effortless to play in all registers and dynamics, and the craftsmanship is exceptional. Playing an Edwards makes it easy to surpass the limitations of the instrument and get to the artistic heart of the music.”