Rachel Mitchell

Rachel Mitchell (b.1989) is an American arranger and educator. Rachel has been educating students in music for 16 years. Her main instruments are the oboe and piano. She studied with Clara George, Susan Hughes, and Diane Soelberg on the oboe, and with Shirley Harris on the piano. After earning her Bachelor's in Music Education through Brigham Young University-Idaho she had the opportunity to teach lessons from her home. During that time, she saw a shortage of popular pieces arranged for beginning players. She began arranging the pieces her students were interested in and has found joy bringing a light to early student's eyes by giving them the opportunity to play their favorite songs from the beginning of their musical journey.

Rachel currently resides in Montpelier, Idaho and enjoys teaching a small studio of students, including four of  her five boys. She spends her free time with her family in the garden, in the mountains, and snuggled with a blanket for movie night or a good book. She hopes to share a love of music to all she can reach.

Michael Paul Mitchell

Michael Paul Mitchell (b. 1984) is an American composer and performer whose creative voice is shaped by a deep connection to music education, chamber performance, and accessible yet meaningful compositions for school ensembles. His music blends traditional and modern idioms and has been performed across the United States by ensembles ranging from high school bands to professional chamber groups.
Michael earned his PhD in music composition from Louisiana State University, where he studied with Dr. Dinos Constantinides. He previously studied at Brigham Young University–Idaho under Dr. Daniel Kerr, receiving a solid foundation in both theory and composition. His works have been featured by the Louisiana Sinfonietta and premiered by ensembles such as the Davidson High School Band in Mobile, Alabama, and Bear Lake High School in Montpelier, Idaho.
As a composer, Michael has a special interest in creating music that meets young and developing musicians where they are—technically approachable, yet rich in expressive depth. He writes extensively for wind band, chamber brass and woodwind groups, and solo instruments. His catalog includes works such as Perilous Times (Grade 3 wind band), Upper Stillwater Dam (Grade 2), and Big A.F. March (Grade 3), along with numerous chamber pieces for horn, woodwind quintet, and string ensembles.
An accomplished hornist, Michael has performed with the Idaho Falls Symphony and the Teton Chamber Orchestra, and has participated in the Chamber Music Institute at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with his woodwind quintet, BC Winds. He has studied horn with notable teachers including Seth Orgel, Dr. Jon Klein, Kendall Nielsen, and John Owen. His experience as a performer deeply informs his compositional approach, particularly his understanding of instrumental color and balance.
Michael currently teaches at Bear Lake High School in Montpelier, Idaho, where he directs a comprehensive music program that includes High School Band, Jazz Band, Pep Band, Choir, Show Choir, Guitar, Jazz and Pop History, and Music Appreciation. In the classroom, he strives to inspire a lifelong love of music in his students and provide them with meaningful opportunities for performance and growth.
Whether writing for solo horn or full band, Michael Paul Mitchell brings a thoughtful, educationally grounded perspective to his work—music that speaks to young players and seasoned musicians alike.