Rice student wins international competitions to make dream a reality

A Fulbright funds fantasy
Rice student wins international competitions to make dream a reality

BY JESSICA STARK
Rice News staff

When she started at Rice University, Rachelle Hunt had no idea she would earn a Fulbright Scholarship to realize her dream of living abroad. A visit to Germany with her high school orchestra sparked her self-described obsession with travel — a passion second only to her love of music.

With an eye toward international opportunities, the aspiring violinist enrolled in Rice’s Shepherd School of Music to develop her skills by working closely with professors in the tight-knit school. Her studying paid off, and Hunt earned a place in the internationally competitive Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival Orchestra in Germany. But the summer there in 2006 didn’t satiate her appetite for travel.

“After that incredible experience, I knew that one day I would have to return to this country,” said Hunt, a Sid Richardson College senior. “Not only does historical background inspire me, but the culture also clearly supports classical music to an extent I thought was not possible.”

So Hunt began researching educational opportunities available in Germany and contacted several violin professors. She spent her winter break learning German, took classes in the spring to improve her language skills and last summer traveled alone through Europe to meet and play for German violin professors.

Her Rice professors took notice of her initiative and prompted her to apply for a Fulbright Scholarship that would cover one year of university study and research abroad. Fulbrights are awarded nationally each year to graduating seniors and graduate students who are U.S. citizens. [See sidebar for Fulbright awardees at Rice.] Administered by the U.S. Information Agency and awarded by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, awards are based on the applicant’s personal statement, proposed project, transcript and faculty recommendations.

“Rice provided me with a solid education that made me a very good candidate for the Fulbright, and the Shepherd School prepared me to stand out as a musical candidate,” Hunt said. “Winning a Fulbright in Germany is very competitive, but I think even more so for music students, because studying in Germany is very popular for musicians.”

With the support of the Fulbright, Hunt will research German musical fantasies — a form or style of music based on a theme or set of themes. The improvisational fantasy style has influenced many important composers, from Beethoven to Schumann to Schoenberg.

“From early on, fantasies were my favorite pieces,” Hunt said. “I loved the rich harmonies, and every time I was allowed to choose a piece in high school, I would choose a fantasy piece.”

RACHELLE HUNT

She hopes that her research will bring the style to the attention of musicians and nonmusicians and that her time in Germany will enable her to bring back a new style and approach to music that she can pass on to her colleagues and future students.

“Imagine if concert halls were always sold out, and if young people embraced classical music with enthusiasm!” Hunt said.

She will study at the Robert Schumann Hochschule fuer Musik (Conservatory of Music) in Dusseldorf, Germany, with Ida Bieler, a professor at the school. There Hunt plans to take advantage of the proximity to the homes and collections of major composers — the Beethoven House Trust, Beethoven Archives and Schumann Institute.

“I think I will miss many things about Rice, especially my teacher who has been really supportive of me these past four years,” said Hunt, who studied with Kathleen Winkler, professor of violin. “I will also really miss my friends and the supportive atmosphere of the Shepherd School.”

During her career at Rice, Hunt has won numerous awards and competitions. She recently placed first in the senior solo event at the Kingsville International Competitions for Strings, one of the premiere competitions in the field. In 2007, she won the Shepherd School String Department Concerto Competition, even competing against graduate students, and played with the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra.

After completing the Fulbright Program, Hunt plans to pursue a career as a member of a major symphony or orchestra.