Meet Rachel O’Connor of Pasadena

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel O’Connor.

Rachel, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m a professional musician, and like a lot of musicians, what that looks like for me has taken a few different forms. I’m primarily a French horn player, but I also do a lot of teaching, have spent some time conducting, and have a doctorate in music, so there’s a scholarly side to my work as well.

I’m originally from Toronto, Canada, and I started getting really into music in middle school for the simple reason that I wanted to play in the jazz band. I just thought it was the coolest thing ever. From that point on, I never really wanted to do anything else (for more than a few days).

I initially pursued classical trumpet and went to university for it, but toward the end of my degree, I made the decision to switch instruments and become a horn player. I was about 22 at the time, which is pretty late to start an instrument in the classical music world, so it was definitely an unconventional path. But something about the horn felt right, and I decided to go for it. Starting again at 22 was scary, but also incredibly exciting. I’d always loved the horn, and my best friend was a horn player. I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep for days. It just felt right. A lot of people around me thought I was nuts, or being frivolous. So, leaving my hometown and coming to LA let me have a fresh start.

CalArts brought me to Southern California, although I graduated from UCLA. Although I moved to Baltimore for my doctorate, I somehow ended up back here after the pandemic. Over the years, my career here has grown to include performing, teaching, conducting, and research, and I’ve had the opportunity to work across a lot of different corners of the music world. In many ways, Los Angeles has been the place where I’ve figured out what being a musician can mean for me.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Oh my goodness, no! Haha. It has been a beautiful journey, though, and I’m very happy to say that I’m finally at a point where many of the challenges I’ve faced are coming full circle and have really shaped me into the musician and teacher I aspire to be. If you had asked me a year ago, my answer would have been very different – and much less optimistic.

There isn’t exactly a linear path to becoming a classical musician. As one graduates young adulthood, your life can start to look very different from those of your friends, and it’s easy to feel like you’re behind. Having started the horn at 22, I especially struggled with that feeling. At the same time, one of the things I loved about coming to Los Angeles was how accepted I felt. When I told people I had just switched instruments, nobody really batted an eye. That gave me the space to build my skills, find my identity as a horn player, and grow at my own pace.

The last couple of years, however, brought some acute challenges. Just as I was starting to taste the success I had worked so hard for, it felt like I lost it all.
Since I was a kid, I had struggled with a rare physical issue that caused air to leak through my nose when I played in the upper register. It was actually part of the reason I switched from trumpet to horn in the first place. For years, I learned to compensate for it, but as I got older, that became increasingly difficult, and I felt that it was holding me back from reaching my full potential. I had tried for years to find a doctor who could help, but after repeatedly hitting dead ends, I tried to manage the problem on my own.

In May 2025, I tried again and was elated when my healthcare provider recognized the problem and offered a solution. Unfortunately, the procedure made the problem dramatically worse. At my follow-up, I was told that nothing more could be done, and my subsequent attempts to reach the provider went unanswered. I was left barely able to play and with nowhere to turn.

Even though I knew intellectually that I hadn’t caused what happened, I felt deeply ashamed. As a performer, there isn’t a lot of open, honest discourse about injuries and physical limitations. There can be a very real fear that acknowledging them will cost you work, future opportunities, or professional stature. So along with the uncertainty came a profound sense of isolation. I was dealing not only with the possibility that I might not be able to play again, but also with the feeling that I couldn’t really talk about what was happening.

After months of searching for answers, I was incredibly fortunate to find a team in Phoenix who understood both the problem and what I needed physically as a brass player. I underwent a major surgery, and this time it worked. I had dreamed since I was young of someday fixing this problem, so having that finally happen was genuinely life-changing.

The hardest part was the uncertainty in between. For the first time in my life, I had to seriously consider the possibility that I might not be able to play again. I had never taken that much time away from my instrument, and I missed it more than I could have imagined. Having to sit in that uncertainty for months was one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through. I can say now, though, that I came out of it stronger. More than anything, it deepened my belief that I’ve been on the right path all these years by reaffirming just how much I love playing.

I tried to picture what else I could do with my life—I figured if I wasn’t going to do music, maybe I should at least go make a lot of money! But every road I considered eventually led me back to music. It is the one thing that has held my interest and curiosity throughout my entire life. That period also pushed me toward something new. While I couldn’t play, I started studying composition because I felt there was music in my heart that I had never learned how to express. I’m not sure where it will go, but I’m just enjoying the process of learning and creating.

Now that I’m playing again, I have a completely different appreciation for it. I don’t take a practice session, a performance, or even the simple ability to pick up my horn and make music for granted. I think I play more from the heart now, rather than from the ego.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My specialty is orchestral French horn playing. I’m always happy to play in other styles and ensembles, but I spend most of my time in the orchestra. In LA, I work as a freelancer and play with many different orchestras. I’ve also had the opportunity to do some very cool music-industry work, including Coachella and live-to-screen events during Oscar season for Netflix and Apple TV.

For the past few years, I’ve specialized particularly in the low register of the French horn. Low horn is, in some ways, a supporting role in the orchestra—you’re often part of the harmony and bass line rather than playing the soaring melodies people tend to associate with the instrument. The horn has an enormous range and can actually play as low as a tuba or as high as a trumpet. There is traditionally a little less “glory” in being a low player, but it’s incredibly fun and important in its own way. You have to listen closely and constantly adapt to the musicians around you. I love being a chameleon and trying to emulate and complement the incredible players I’m working with. As a side note, there are SO many incredible horn players in LA, which makes it a pretty inspiring place to do this!

When I think about what I’m proudest of, though, a lot of it comes back to perseverance. I’m proud of my unrelenting commitment to becoming the best player I can be, even when that has meant taking a few steps backward in order to eventually move forward. I’m proud of earning my doctorate from Johns Hopkins and of the research I did during that time. I’m incredibly proud of my wonderful students—working with them is truly a privilege.

And honestly, I’m very proud of how I sound right now. After MANY years of gestation, experimentation, setbacks, and work, I feel better than I ever have about what comes out of my instrument. That might sound like a small thing from the outside, but as a musician, it means a great deal to me.

If I had to say what sets me apart, I think it is that I haven’t given up—even at times when I had every reason to and no clear path forward. I’ve been willing to question what I’m doing, rebuild things that aren’t working, and sometimes take a step backward rather than settle for where I am. It hasn’t always been the easiest way forward, but I think I’m finally starting to hear the results.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Nothing specific jumps out, but I was always happy to spend time with my family. My parents worked a lot, so I was always excited for their days off. Also, many wonderful hours were spent goofing around (And probably breaking stuff along the way) with my cousins! I also have very fond memories of my Babcia’s pierogi and kluski (both types of Polish dumplings). If my family wasn’t careful, I would sometimes eat them all before anyone else even had a chance to start. Happy to report that, with time, my dumpling etiquette has improved!

Pricing:

• In home private lessons – 125/hour

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.racheloconnormusic.com
• Instagram: @rachelaurensound
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@racheloconnor2986