Rachel Podger (born 1968) is an English violinist specialising in the performance of baroque music. She often conducts baroque orchestras from the violin, and in 2004 took up a guest directorship with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, having previously been leader of The English Concert from 1997 to 2002.
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Rachel Podger was born in England but educated at a German Steiner school. She returned to study first with Perry Hart, then at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama with David Takeno, Pauline Scott, and Micaela Comberti. During her studies, she co-founded baroque chamber groups The Palladian Ensemble and Florilegium, and worked with period instrument ensembles such as the New London Consort, and London Baroque.
She was leader of the Gabrieli Consort and Players and later of The English Concert, c. 1997–2002, touring extensively, often as soloist in Vivaldi's le quattro stagioni and grosso mogul concertos. In 2004 she began a guest directorship of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, opening with a tour in the USA with Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. She also works as a guest director with Arte dei Suonatori (Poland), Musica Angelica (USA) and Santa Fe Pro Musica (USA), and as soloist with The Academy of Ancient Music.
She is a professor of baroque violin at both the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and also teaches regularly at the Hochschule in Bremen. She has recently been appointed professor of baroque violin at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen.
When not touring with various orchestras and other classical players, Rachel works with her husband in Brecon, South Wales helping young musicians through the Mozart Music Fund, which she founded in 2006, as well as holding workshops and giving recitals. She is a major figure at the annual Brecon Baroque music festival held during the last weekend of October every year.
In September 2008, Rachel Podger took up the newly-founded Micaela Comberti Chair for Baroque Violin at the Royal Academy of Music in London.
Podger currently plays a violin made in Genoa in 1739 by Pesarini, a later student of Antonio Stradivari. Initially Rachel played a modern Stradivarius copy.
Rachel Podger records for Channel Classics Records.