Department of Music

A memorial service for Rachel Duncan will be held on September 2, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. at Old Cabell Hall, followed by a reception at the Municipal Arts Center from 4:30 - 6:00 pm. All who wish to share in this time of remembrance and celebration of her life are welcome. 

Parking is available in the Central Grounds Parking Garage on Emmet Street, in the C1 parking lot off McCormick Road, and in the parking lots at the UVA Corner.

Photos of Rachel for the slideshow can be sent it to Amelia Camacho by August 31. 

If you would like to help provide finger foods or beverages for the reception, please sign up here and contact Ayn Balija  with any questions. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Charlottesville SPCA or to Mental Health America in Rachel's honor.

Please contact Holly Vradenburgh with any questions. 

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Link to the Facebook invitation to Rachel's memorial service on Sept. 2nd, hosted by Rachel's family, friends and colleagues. 

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Rachel Duncan Obituary from the Star Tribune with guestbook for the family.   Excerpt from the Star Tribune obituary:
Duncan, Rachel L.(Serber) Age 33 of Charlottesville, VA. formerly of Plymouth, died August 8th . Rachel was Principal Trumpet of the Charlottesville Symphony. Preceded in death by grandparents, Grace and Jacob Serber and Joan Spanjers. Survived by husband, Gregory Duncan; parents, Michael and Julie Serber; brother, David (Miriam) Serber; niece, Arielle; grandfather, Leo Spanjers; mother & father-in-law, Judy and Darrel Duncan; sister-in-law Allison Duncan & brother-in-law, Bill Niemeyer; niece, Tessa.

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Obituary from the Charlottesville Daily Progress.

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Trumpeter Rachel Duncan, a native of Plymouth, Minnesota, was on the faculty at the McIntire Department of Music at the University of Virginia as Associate Professor of Trumpet, where she also served as the Principal Trumpet of the Charlottesville Symphony. Born into a musical family of prominent music educators, Rachel began playing trumpet at age 8. In pursuit of a career in music, Rachel was awarded a full tuition scholarship to study at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia where she earned a bachelor’s of music degree under the tutelage of David Bilger. She then moved to Chicago to study under Barbara Butler, Charles Geyer and Christopher Martin at Northwestern University where she earned a master’s of music degree. Soon after, she was awarded a position with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2011-2013.

Rachel had an extensive orchestral career. In 2012, she performed and toured Scotland as guest principal trumpet with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and recorded two commercially released recordings for the Dutton Epoch Records label. She performed as guest principal trumpet of the Charleston Symphony, the Peoria Symphony and the Dubuque Symphony, and performed with the trumpet sections of The Philadelphia Orchestra, Richmond Symphony, Illinois Symphony, Symphony in C, and The New World Symphony. In 2018 Rachel was appointed to second trumpet of the Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra.

Devoted to chamber music as well, Rachel was a founding member of the brass ensemble New Chicago Brass. She had the privilege of performing alongside Yo-Yo Ma and members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s chamber music concert series, and was invited to perform with MusicNOW, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s new music ensemble.

Rachel served on the faculty at the “National Take a Stand Festival,” Supporting Social Change Through Music, affiliated with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Rachel had the opportunity to perform at numerous prestigious music festivals including The Pacific Music Festival in Japan, The Spoleto Music Festival in Charleston, The Aspen Music Festival and The National Repertory Orchestra. In addition to ensemble playing, she was recognized for her solo performances, receiving first prize at the Schubert Club Scholarship competition and the National Trumpet Competition.