Rachel Sunter

WHO AM I I'm a full-time performing, recording and producing artist, with a background in classical music, and 15 yrs experience in the Canadian indie music scene, with tours & collabs in US and UK. I currently release under the monikker "rsun", formerly "arsoniste", and am releasing my first LP this fall, mixed and mastered in Montréal last summer. I have my grade 9 RCM degree, but sit around a grade 10 level, after many years of weekly gigs and private teaching. MUSIC NERDERY My favourite band is Radiohead, favourite composer is Mozart, and favourite modern composer is either Max Richter or Philip Glass. My tastes go way across the spectrum - country, folk, indie, pop, rock, hip hop, R&B, soul, edm - and I'm comfortable working in any genre *EXCEPT hardcore vocals* because screaming is a special technique I do not know. MUSIC INDUSTRY I've shmoozed in the music conference world with the likes of Matt Mays, Mathew Good, Mother Mother, Ria Mae, Neon Dreams, Jenn Grant, The Weather Station, and attended songwriting workshops by Patrick Watson and Sharon Van Etten. Met Kruangbhin’s manager (super nice!), Metric’s booking agent, and am pals with one of Phoebe Bridgers’ project managers at Secretly Canadian. I feel like a baby myself in the industry some days, but I have a lot of expertise and love to share it. My students inspire me as much as I inspire them. MY TEACHING I teach fluidly across piano, voice, composition, music theory, performance classes with my other students, career development, grant writing, and improvisation. I currently teach students who do classical only, with RCM exams and Kiwanis Festival, while also coaching a few singer-songwriters in their early careers; and I teach virtual music production lessons in Ableton Live. Due to the demands of my solo career, I limit my studio size to around 12-15 students, who generally spend 1-2H with me weekly or biweekly. I have newly moved to Montreal from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and am happy to teach in French, though you will have to forgive my funny accent that is part Parisienne, part Acadienne, part god knows what. Upon request I offer discounts to single parents; low-income households; black, indigenous and POC students; and LGBT+ identifying. Prospective students / parents should reach out to me to schedule a free consultation.