Rachel Lauson is an emerging professional horn player and teacher based in Los Angeles, California. She has performed with numerous orchestras in the region including the Bakersfield Symphony, Orchestra Santa Monica, Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay, Peninsula Symphony, Dream Orchestra LA, Downey Symphony, and American Youth Symphony. She also held the Principal Horn Fellowship with the California Young Artists Symphony from 2021-24, and was a member of the 2024 Game Awards Orchestra. Additionally, she has been a part of projects such as Metro Boomin - Red Bull Symphonic, Jason “Spicy G” Goldman’s song “Cry Me a River”, and a performance with SQRgrdn. She is also a member of the Cali Brass Quintet.

Rachel is also incredibly passionate about teaching and sharing her love for music and the horn with the next generation. She is a Teaching Artist through Harmony Project Los Angeles, leading the horn classes for the EXPO and Hollywood Youth Orchestra sites. She also the band director at Holy Family Grade School Glendale. Rachel is an experienced private teacher, and has had a student accepted into the CBDA All-State JHS Symphonic Band. Please see the “Contact Me” page for more information about lessons!

Rachel holds a Master of Music in Horn Performance from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor’s degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Her primary teachers were Julie Landsman and Richard King. During her time at USC, she worked as the Horn Studio Manager, through the Thornton Community Engagement Program, and at the Thornton Office of Admission & Student Affairs. She was also a recipient of the Vincent DeRosa Scholarship Award. At CIM, she served as the President of the Student Government Association for two years. During this time, she led the organization of several all-school events including the annual Benefit Concert. She received the John J. DiLutis Jr. Award her final year there. She has spent summers at the Hidden Valley Festival of Winds, Sarasota Music Festival, Chautauqua Institution, NSO Summer Music Institute, and subbed at Music Academy of the West.

Outside of her musical endeavors, Rachel enjoys staying active, spending time with friends, reading, and working her barista job. Having grown up in the brutal winters of Minnesota, she loves taking advantage of being outside at the beach or in the mountains of sunny Southern California!