With last year’s departure of choir director of 26 years, Susan Mianulli, Nashoba is happy to welcome a new face to the music department: Rachel Pelchat. Ms. Pelchat is both ready and able to take on the role of new choir director. She will be conducting Nashoba’s various range of choirs including Concert Choir, Best Buddies Choir, Broadway Women’s Choir, Chamber Choir, and a few piano and guitar classes on the side as well.

Ms. Pelchat is new to life in Massachusetts, having grown up in Torrington, Connecticut. She claims that she could sing since she could speak, and fell in love with music at a summer camp during her childhood. In Torrington, she was a drum major in her high school band, and she sang at Carnegie Hall with her Chamber Choir. After high school, she attended Western Connecticut State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education.

In college, Ms. Pelchat performed in several opera productions, but her musical accomplishments don’t end there. She toured across Europe with American Music Abroad and she even studied voice in Austria during the Salzburg Music Festival. Pelchat also received the Furman Choral Award, which goes to one senior who had a positive impact on the music department community during her time at WCSU. 

Following her college years, Rachel Pelchat taught grades K-5 general music and assisted the high school band in Manchester, New Hampshire. But late last year when the music department was seeking a new choral director, Ms. Pelchat applied, made it to the top 3 candidates, and was fortunately chosen to be Nashoba’s latest addition to the music program.

Over the past week, Pelchat has fallen in love with Nashoba. She says, “I love the COMMUNITY. It is not everywhere where you find staff that supports ALL members of the team and students who are as respectful, focused, and hardworking as the students I have met here so far. I feel like I am on cloud nine working here.” And not only does Ms. Pelchat love Nashoba, Nashoba loves her too. After only a week students are raving about her as a teacher.

Students in the choirs are already in love with Ms. Pelchat’s enthusiasm, organization, and most importantly, her love for music. With such an eager new director, Nashoba’s singers should be prepared for a year of hard work and many accomplishments.