Christa Rakich

Education

• BA and BS, Oberlin College & Conservatory
• MA, New England Conservatory

Biography

Organist Christa Rakich has performed widely throughout North America, Europe, and Japan. As a Fulbright Scholar, she studied for two years with Anton Heiller at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna. She holds bachelor’s degrees in organ and German from Oberlin College & Conservatory (Phi Beta Kappa, 1975). Upon earning her master’s degree with honors from New England Conservatory, she was invited to join the faculty there and remained for many years, serving ultimately as department co-chair. She has also served on the faculties of Westminster Choir College, Brandeis University, and the University of Connecticut, and as assistant university organist at Harvard.

A prize winner in numerous international organ competitions, Rakich has received particular acclaim for her interpretations of the music of J.S. Bach. With keyboardist Peter Sykes, she performed a complete cycle of Bach’s keyboard works in a series of 34 concerts named Tuesdays With Sebastian, which raised $20,000 for Boston-area charities.

With keyboardist Susan Ferré, Rakich is a founding performer of the Big Moose Bach Festival, which presents Bach cantatas, chamber music, and keyboard music each year in rural Berlin, New Hampshire.

Rakich also pursues an active interest in the clavichord, and she serves as vice president of the Boston Clavichord Society. Her 2018 performance for the society included Otto Singer’s transcription for two clavichords of Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 (“Jupiter”) with Erica Johnson.

Rakich maintains two artist residencies near her home in Connecticut: with the Congregational Church of Somers and the Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist in West Hartford. Past residencies have included the University of Pennsylvania and First Lutheran Church in Boston.

Recordings

Clavierübung III, J.S. Bach (Titanic Records, 1983)

Leipzig Chorales, J.S. Bach (Loft Recordings; www.bachleipzigchorales.com)

Trio Sonatas, J.S. Bach (Loft Recordings; www.bachtrios.com)

Live from St. Mark’s Seattle, performance at the National AGO Convention in 2000 (Rezound)

From the Ashes, dedication program for Richards-Fowkes Opus 21 (Loft Recordings)

In Somers Congregational Church, with flutist Greig Shearer and cellist Kathleen Schiano. (www.fromtheashescd.com)

A Tribute to Yuko Hayashi, recorded on Richards-Fowkes Opus 16 at Duke University (Loft Recordings)