Rachel Rudich

The Los Angeles Times said, “the extended contributions by Rachel Rudich on shakuhachi were at once inventive and atmospheric,” after a performance at REDCAT, at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. Rachel performs often with her shakuhachi and koto duo, Hana Hibiki, featuring koto player Kozue Matsumoto. She has recorded shakuhachi for TV and video games, as well as diverse genres such as horror movies and even country western bands. Some highlights have been recording sessions for the TV series Kobra Kai, and the video game League of Legends.

Rachel has attended and performed at the World Shakuhachi Festivals in Sydney, Australia in 2008, Kyoto in 2012, and London in 2018, as well as the Rockies Shakuhachi Camp in Boulder, Colorado 2008 – 2011, 2013 and 2017. Rachel’s early teachers on the shakuhachi were Masakazu Yoshizawa and Bill Shozan Schultz in Los Angeles, and for the past 15 years she has studied with Kakizakai Kaoru Sensei.

Rachel spent two months in Japan during the spring of 2012 for extensive study of and performances on the shakuhachi and was more recently in Japan in 2018 for further research, study, and performing a solo concert in Tokyo of pieces for shakuhachi and electronics by American composers.

Rachel teaches a beginning shakuhachi class and co-directs the Japanese Ensemble at CalArts and teaches private students in the Los Angeles area, and online.

Rachel’s 45+ year career as a western flute player specializing in contemporary music opened her eyes to extended techniques, Japanese music, and eventually to the shakuhachi. Her more than 40 published CDs on flute can be explored, and more information found at www.rachelrudich.com.