Office: School of Music, Room 004

Dr. Rachel Mazzucco is Lecturer of Harp and Music Theory, and Co-Director of the TTU String Project. An active performer in her community, Dr. Mazzucco has been playing Principal harp for the Lubbock Symphony with David Cho since 2013, and the Amarillo Symphony under first Jacomo Bairos, and now George Jackson, since 2014. She also plays with community groups such as Ballet Lubbock and the Lubbock Chamber Orchestra. Along with her orchestral engagements, she maintains an active performance schedule of both solo and chamber works, with a special interest in 20th-century and new music.

Dr. Mazzucco holds a Ph.D. in Fine Arts with a concentration in Music Theory and an M.M in Harp Performance from TTU, and a B.M. in Music Performance and a B.S. in Mathematics from Texas Christian University.  She has studied under many renowned harpists, including Susan Pejovich of the Dallas Symphony and Gail Barber of local and international fame. Her research interests include corpus studies of melodic patterns, how to utilize music theory and pattern recognition to facilitate music learning, and practical applications of harp pedagogy in heterogeneous string instrument classes. She has presented her research in local, regional, and international venues, for groups such as the American Harp Society, the American String Teacher’s Association, and the Texas Society for Music Theory.

Pedagogically, Dr. Mazzucco nurtures a foundation of strong, healthy technique and expressive musicality. Beyond facility at the instrument, she seeks to foster inquisitive students who develop the critical thinking skills needed to be successful performers, teachers, and music enthusiasts.