Rachel Maloney

 

 Rachel Maloney was born in the coal mining town of Norton, Virginia where her father worked in the mines.  Deep in the heart of Appalachia, her love of fiddle music developed at an early age.  Living later in North Carolina, her repertoire continued to grow, remaining predominantly Appalachian and Country Blues and Jug Band.  Rachel’s first love has always been traditional fiddling but she has also played bass harmonica in a variety of groups as well as jaw harp, melodeon and bowed psaltery.  In the 1980’s when the first  decent midi-fiddles came out, Rachel spent much time doing in depth synthesizer programing and playing improvised electronic music on the violin.

     While attending the Royal College of Art in London, England, Rachel's musical horizons greatly widened with the discovery of music from Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland and the Shetlands.  Traveling extensively throughout Europe and West Africa, her ears were opened to new, exciting and eclectic forms of traditional music and new music.  Over the years she has performed, lectured, led workshops, recorded, written and arranged music for the theater. Her interest in avant garde improvising ensembles has always remained an inspiration.  A few of these groups include John Stevens Workshop, Spontaneous Music Ensemble,The Repeatos, The Portsmouth Sinfonia, “In C Prov,” The Leroy Hoke Band, Improvidence, Wuji and The Third Program.

 

    The bands she has toured with reach as far north as Canada and as far south as Florida, remaining primarily east of the Mississippi, venturing frequently on tours to Europe (UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Holland, Germany, Morocco).  In 1987, Rachel was offered a position as performer, composer and actor at Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Island.  During that time, she continued to do a few major tours a year, usually to Europe and Canada, after shorter tours to North Carolina and Virginia and New England.  Her musical interests have further developed to include electronic and multi-media collaborations, new music compositions and some film and TV scores.  She has done teaching and lecture performances for more than 25 year for The Music School of the Rhode Island Philharmonic.  Currently she teaches both at music camps and privately.  She tours with a variety of artists up and down the east coast and in Europe, including Intergalactic Swamp Rangers,The Whompers, Nee Ningy, The Dismal Swamp Moaners, The Providence Wholebellies, The Huffers Harmonica Trio, 100th Monkey, Big Boy Henry Blues Band, Drink Small /Jazz Heritage Festival, Repeatos, Spontaneous Music Ensemble, Cambridge Harmonica Orchestra, Portsmouth Sinfonia)

     As a young musician she enjoyed playing with and learning from the previous generation. As a mature musician she enjoys collaborating with and learning from the next generation. Every generation has something truly unique to bring to the table and can inspire all.