A life well lived is a life of multiple interests, intertwining pathways, a woven texture of knowledge, experiences, and the pursuit of excellence. If I look back on the 44 years I’ve played the flute, I don’t view music alone as a direct pathway to the person I’ve become. Instead, I see a kaleidoscope of areas that have colored my experience. Everything I do influences my flute playing. Everything I am informs my musicality and my ability to be expressive. I believe all musicians should develop interests in other fields, not only to inform and expand their playing, but also to have a more full experience of life to share with others.

Growing up I was fascinated by art, sculpture, photography, dance, literature, yoga, mediation, and the flute.Instead of going straight to college, I studied organic gardening, raised goats and rabbits, played cello, made stained glass windows, and baked desserts for restaurants, delivering them on my tiny Honda motorcycle.Eventually I returned to flute. And then, after a while I enrolled in Goddard College’s Adult Degree Program, a project-based long distance program that helped give me the freedom and skills to carve the many paths I have taken in life. Goddard’s approach of interdisciplinary independent learning was just the right thing for me at the right time. It taught me that one’s education need never end. Later, I moved to New York City, attended Manhattan School of Music for my Masters and Doctoral degrees, became a successful freelance musician specializing in contemporary music, and started my career by winning a few crucial competitions, playing a NYC debut, playing concerts around the country, and making recordings. In 1987, through a nationwide search, I won the position at CalArts, which combines teaching and performing activities.

At CalArts I teach a class called Musicians Toolkit that I also run in workshops for festivals and masterclasses around the world. I talk about stress management, injury prevention, stage fright, organization, professionalism, communication, and juggling career, family, performing, and teaching. For me it is a synthesis of all the ‘extra-musical’ activities in my current life that I like to share with students: yoga, reiki, compassionate communication, meditation, fitness, sports, pilates, hobbies, family, pets.

I studied yoga from a young age and kept that going off and on over the years. But mostly I was a sedentary person, and through music school this developed into a couch potato lifestyle until I began having some real physical problems. I started exercising to lose weight and one thing led to another. I started doing short triathlons in 1991 and that led to my first Ironman in 1997, followed by seven more, six marathons and a few adventure races. After 9/11, I had a strong desire to help people, and to heal the world. I got back into yoga and decided to teach. That led to an interest in pilates, a less spiritual but still a mind/body activity resulting in great fitness. Now I have teaching certifications in yoga, pilates, personal training and Reiki. I have a small business of private clients and group classes that meet regularly.

I find that this is really not too different than teaching music. I’m working with people’s bodies, minds and emotions to help them more fully express who they are. Whether it’s playing a piece of music well, or being able to make it through a demanding day in your job, it really all comes down to basics. I feel that the two fields are very complementary. The knowledge in anatomy, physiology and psychology that I’ve gained through study in these fields has really informed my ability to help music students. All too often we ignore the physical and psychological aspects of playing music. Musicians need help learning how to prevent injuries and tension, present more transformative performances and find balance and relaxation in a stressful field and hectic lifestyle.

My newest interest is studying and teaching shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute), a spiritual instrument used for meditation, and it has confirmed my spiritual feelings about the western flute. In modern music I’ve been touched over the years by pieces that seem to resonate more deeply than others. Pieces that share a soulful intensity and demand a heightened attention to expressive detail are special to me. When I play them I’m transported to a magical, meditative place and I want listeners to travel there with me. Playing shakuhachi is a musical meditation, and I include it when I teach yoga classes. This is one of the many ways my multiple interests align in daily life: fitness, meditation, music, spirituality.

People often ask me how I do all these different things. I think that if you are extremely organized, there’s a lot you can get done. Also, I am blessed with the ability to function well on not a lot of sleep! And you have to remember: you can do a lot of things in one’s life, but maybe not all of them all of the time. I love all the things that I do, but I don’t get to do everything every day, or even every month or year. I tend to practice more shakuhachi at times when I don’t have as many flute commitments. Triathlon, which I don’t do much anymore, was always more of a summer activity. Yoga and pilates classes happen on the days that I don’t teach music. And my motorcycle (it’s a Harley now) goes dead when it’s either too hot or too rainy! Every day I spend some time in nature, being active, meditating, and playing with my dog, Maxx, a really cute Shi Tzu, because these are things that bring me the kind of instant joy that I can share with others, as a teacher, and through music.

More information about Rachel’s musical life can be found on her website rachelrudich.com, and about her Rachel’s life in yoga, pilates, reiki, and physical training at ajanafitness.com