Dr Rachel Drury is a researcher and creative artist working in the field of music psychology and education. In addition to co-developing the new MA Psychology in the Arts programme, she also lecturers on the Postgraduate Learning and Teaching programmes and undergraduate programmes at the RCS. Aside from her work at RCS, Rachel holds the post of Musician in Residence at Rachel House Children’s Hospice in Kinross (CHAS) and works as a freelance artist. She has devised and delivered a number of creative projects for national arts organisations including Starcatchers, Scottish Opera, RSNO, Children’s Classic Concerts, and Chamber Music Scotland, and is trustee of Nevis Ensemble.

Rachel is the creator and composer of BabyO and SensoryO, two ground-breaking operas for infants aged between 6 and 36 months, for which she has received international acclaim. The operas have toured extensively both nationally and internationally in partnership with Scottish Opera. Rachel’s performance credits include BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Ballet and Scottish Concert Orchestra. 

Rachel’s current creative and research work focuses on Coorie Doon, a song-writing project with Chamber Music Scotland for parents of children with life-limiting conditions (CHAS 2017/18) and infants in Neonatal intensive care (2019/20). Rachel’s current research interests include song-writing in therapeutic settings; music in prisons; teacher vs performer identities, and mental health in the arts.

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