Orchestra Staff

Director of Orchestras, Rachel Richardson                  

Ms. Rachel Richardson has been Director of Orchestras at Strickland since the 2022-23 school year. Prior to her time at Strickland, she taught at Harpool Middle School, as well as in Fort Worth ISD. In addition to her work as an orchestra director, she maintains a small studio of private cello students, frequently provides sectionals for the Denton Youth Symphony, and performs as a freelance musician throughout the area. 

A Denton native, Ms. Richardson is a proud graduate of Ginnings Elementary, Strickland Middle School, and Ryan High School, where she participated in All-State and All-Region Orchestras, as well as the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Brigham Young University, where she studied with Julie Bevan, and a Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas, under the direction of the late Eugene Osadchy. After completing graduate school, she received her teaching certificate under the mentorship of Patrick Leaverton. 

Ms. Richardson is an expressive musician and a dedicated music educator, and has performed and taught in the United States and internationally. One of her greatest joys as a teacher is to see her students fall in love with new pieces or styles of music. 

In her free time, Ms. Richardson enjoys baking (especially brownies!), hiking, reading and writing, being outdoors, and spending time with her spouse, Andy, and their two children, Miles and Benjamin. They have two cats, named Annie and Dudley, and two dogs, named Brooklyn and Bruno.