Rachel Heard

Rachel Heard serves as Associate Professor of Music at Millsaps College, specializing in piano performance and historically informed interpretation practices. She maintains an active dual career as both educator and performer across international venues.

Her academic credentials include:

• Bachelor of Music and Master of Music from The Juilliard School
• Doctor of Musical Arts from Rutgers University

Dr. Heard's research centers on period performance practice application, fortepiano techniques, and 18th-century keyboard repertoire. Her scholarly work bridges historical musicology with practical performance, particularly through her specialization in Haydn and J.C. Bach interpretations. She has disseminated this research through international lectures at conferences including US Music Teachers National Association events and institutions across Europe, Taiwan, and the Americas.

Her distinguished recognition includes:

• Millsaps College Outstanding Young Faculty Award (2008-2009)
• Humanities Teaching Award sponsored by Mississippi Humanities Council (2017)

With over 35 years of continuous membership in Music Teachers National Association—including service as Mississippi state president (2008-2010)—Dr. Heard demonstrates sustained commitment to music pedagogy. Her three Naxos-recorded solo albums featuring Haydn and J.C. Bach represent significant scholarly contributions to historical performance practice, though specific graduate student mentorship details and research grants remain undocumented in available sources.