Rachel grew up in Moorhead, Minnesota where she started playing violin at the age of 11. By age 16 she was performing with the Moorhead Apollo Strings, the MN All-State Orchestra, the Fargo-Moorhead Youth Symphony, and the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony. Some of her favorite memories from that time are performing in an orchestra with the Moody Blues and a full production of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana! 

She studied Music Education at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN where she also performed with the St. Olaf Orchestra for 4 years.  After college she taught private violin lessons and orchestra in the public schools for several years.