Rachel Fenlon is a soprano and pianist who has carved a unique voice on the classical stages of the world. Known for performing self-accompanied song recitals as both singer and pianist, she also appears widely as a chamber music and opera soloist. Her debut album Winterreise (October 2024) received widespread acclaim, named Album of the Week by BBC Radio 3, CBC, and Gramophone Magazine, and Album of the Month by Classic 106 FM. CBC praised it as “an outstanding new record… extraordinary,” and BBC Radio 3 called it “extraordinary and spellbinding.” It is the first self-accompanied Winterreise ever recorded.
Rachel has performed across Europe, the UK, Canada, Brazil, and the U.S., with appearances at Konzerthaus Berlin, Martha Argerich Festival, Juan March Madrid, Vancouver Recital Society, Oxford Lieder Festival, Music Toronto, Salle Bourgie Montreal, Settimane Musicali di Ascona, and the National Arts Centre. In March 2025, Rachel made her U.S. debut at SXSW Festival in Austin, bringing classical music to one of the world’s most influential pop festivals.
The 2025/26 season sees Rachel continue to tour internationally across Asia, Germany, Scandinavia, and North America. Rachel’s season commences with a tour of Winterreise in her native Canada at the Elora Festival and the Festival international du Domaine Forget de Charlevoix. She brings a solo recital tour of Canadian work to Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal,presented by the Canadian Music Centre. Rachel introduces new programmes featuring works by Caroline Shaw, Bach, and George Crumb to Das Haus, Berlied Festival Berlin, and performs as a soloist with MAM.manufaktur für aktuelle musik, TonHain Kollektiv, and Kasseler Musiktage. Later in the season, Rachel returns to Canada for performances at the Kay Meek Centre, with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, at the Sweetwater Festival, and the Winnipeg Baroque Festival. She also makes her Asian recital debut with Premier Performances Hong Kong. On the concert platform, Rachel sings Handel’s Messiah with the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra.
As a composer, Rachel presents her own music alongside Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire in a co-production between Vancouver Opera, Opéra de Québec, and Opéra‑Théâtre de Metz, featuring her in the title role. Her music was commissioned by Opéra de Québec, and features original electronic compositions integrated into a new productionof Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire.
Performing and commissioning new music is a core part of Rachel’s artistic practice. Her most recent new creation is a song cycle, titled Sing Nature Alive from My Insides, which world-premiered at Ottawa Chamberfest in 2022. It is a 40-minute song cycle for self-accompanied soprano, piano and live electronics for Rachel as performer, composed and co-created by Matthias McIntire, and set to poetry by Rachel. After its world premiere in August 2022 at Ottawa Chamberfest, the team went on to a collaboration with director Jamie McMillan to record a full-length art music film for Sing Nature Alive From My Insides. Performed at SXSW Festival in 2025, the piece will be performed three times this season, at ScotiaFest, Das Haus and BerLied.
Rachel has collaborated with composers such as Sarah Sleane, Samy Moussa, Nicole Lizée, Chaya Czernowin, Mart*n Schuttler, Helmut Zapf, and Danika Loren. Her recent collaborative highlights include dance projects at Teatro Dello Scompiglio with Freies Tanz Ensemble and at Teatro del Giglio with Tanzfabrik Berlin.
Previous highlights include self-accompanied recitals at prestigious festivals and venues such as Fundación Juan March, the Oxford Lieder Festival, Salle Bourgie, Vancouver Recital Society, Coast Recital Society, Festival de Lanaudière, Ottawa Chamberfest, National Arts Centre Canada, Settimane Musicali di Ascona, Vancouver Opera Festival, Martha Argerich Festival Hamburg, Festival International Povoa de Varzim, Toronto Summer Music Festival, Oper Leipzig, PODIUM Festival Matadepera, Klangwerk LIED, Kammermusik Festival Ahrenshoop, Pianosalon Christophori, the Canadian Broadcasting Company Studios, GEDOK Festival Berlin, and at venues such as the National SAW Gallery, Kuhlhaus Berlin, the Fox Cabaret Vancouver, Late Night Liederabend Vienna, Orpheum.