Rachel Bell Music

Rachel Bell is a full-time performer, tunesmith, and music teacher based in Brattleboro, VT. Her focus is accordion, but not the stereotypical oom-pah accordion that might come to mind! She thrives on gritty, groovy French bal folk tunes, beautiful waltzes, driving Celtic reels, and elegant English country dance tunes. Her compositions are becoming known worldwide, praised for merging originality with that memorable quality that causes a melody to get stuck in one’s head for days on end. Rachel seeks to bring beauty into the world with these fresh, new pieces, while continuing to lovingly play the centuries-old tunes from which she draws her inspiration. She maintains a busy touring schedule throughout North America and beyond, in demand for concerts, festivals, French bal folk events, contra dances, English country dances, weddings, family reunions, parties, and more. Listeners describe the way Rachel’s accordion becomes an extension of herself, with a huge emotional range conveying nuance and sensitivity as well as exhilaration and power. Rachel’s greatest love is collaboration with other musicians, evidenced by her vibrant projects including Eloise & Co., Alchemy, Constellation, Peregrine Road, and a duo with Andrew VanNorstrand. She is also a seasoned teacher, with decades of experience ranging from accordion lessons to multi-instrumental workshops to music and movement sessions for toddlers and their caregivers. 

In 2021, Rachel published a book of her original compositions, which has sold over 600 copies. Rachel works closely with choreographer Susan Kevra, and together they have created over a dozen new English country dance and tune pairings, many of which appear on event programs all over the globe. Rachel has four full-length albums with various bandmates and plays a significant role in numerous other recordings. Recently, her band Eloise & Co. produced three music videos, performing original tunes in unique and spectacular Vermont locations. Another current passion is the local monthly bal folk series that Rachel started with her fiddler bandmate, Becky Tracy. Rachel and Becky organize the series, run the sound, play the music, and teach the dances, welcoming community members of all experience levels. Future plans include recording new repertoire, releasing a Kevra/Bell English country dance publication, dreams of a Peregrine Road album, and lots of music-making for delighted audiences.