About Us: Meet the Musicians

Rachel Irene Niketopoulos is the newest member of the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra's French horn section. Prior to coming to Raleigh, she was the second hornist of the Virginia Symphony for 7 years.

A graduate of the Universities of Iowa and Missouri (Kansas City), she was a member of the Aspen Festival Orchestra in 1993 and 1994, and has performed with the Charleston Symphony and the New World Symphony in Miami (where she met her husband Chris Caudill, who has been the second hornist of the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra since 2003).

She has been on the faculty of the Eastern Music Festival and of Cannon Music Camp in Boone, N.C. In addition to her horn-playing career, Rachel was a student at the Alexander Alliance in Philadelphia for three years andis now a certified instructor of the Alexander Technique. She teaches horn and Alexander Technique lessons privately in Raleigh.

How did you choose your instrument?
The band director wouldn’t let me play flute since there were so many flute players. My sister Andrea played horn and so I chose it too.

What are three of your favorite movies?
I like comedies.

What’s your favorite spot for a post-concert drink or bite to eat?
My enormous yoga studio in my house with my husband Chris and a bowl of popcorn.

What do you think is the greatest misconception about classical music?
That is has to be understood intellectually to have an effect on the listener.

What is your idea of a perfect day?
My perfect day includes taking Dolly (our rescued pit bill) to the park with Chris on a warm North Carolina day, and yummy food.

What is in your mp3 player right now?
Buddhist podcasts.

What famous figure, living or dead, would you most like to invite to dinner, and why?
The Dalai Lama. He has lived through the most difficult times imaginable and yet he is happy. I want to have the experience of being in the presence of such an enlightened person. Every time I see a photo of him, I smile. That’s powerful.

What would you consider to be the perfect classical concert program?
I think it would be fun to find out what the audience wants to hear and then program it!

Other than performances with the North Carolina Symphony, where can we catch you performing around town?
The horn trio recently played for women inmates from the Raleigh prison. We are planning a program at a women’s shelter next. This job is very busy, but giving back is what matters.

What is your favorite North Carolina Symphony moment?
Whenever I see audience members enjoying our performance.

What is your favorite stress reliever?
Hugging my cat, Leo. He hugs me back.

What is always in your kitchen?
Talking cats.

What is the best thing about being a musician? The worst?
The more I play, the more I understand that music is a language that I need to convey to my listeners. It’s not just the notes, like I thought when I was younger. I’m glad I figured that out. Otherwise, music would get very boring.

Do you have any performance rituals?
Breathing exercises. Stretches. Yoga.

What was the first piece of music you fell in love with?
Mozart horn concerti—soloist Dennis Brain.

Who is your personal Yoda?
I have many Yodas: my mom, my dad, my husband, all of my horn teachers, the Dalai Lama, [Zen master] Thich Nhat Haanh, F.M. Alexander. The experience of playing the horn itself keeps me learning, wondering, questioning, laughing, practicing patience.

What would you be doing if you weren’t a musician?
I would be a surgeon. Alexander Technique is a good outlet for me to pursue my interest in the body/mind phenomenon called the human being. I have a lot of curiosity about movement, habits, and the way thoughts form our reality. I would study and teach this full time if I didn’t play in the North Carolina Symphony.

Do you collect anything? If so, tell us about it.
I love skulls and skeletons. I teach Alexander Technique and so am fascinated by human anatomy, mostly the bone and muscle systems. I’ve always collected little skeleton toys and figures. I also really love Hello Kitty. She is so cute and when I was growing up, I didn’t have many toys that were mined first since I had older siblings. Now I collect cute stuff to make up for those days.