Tenured Musicians
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Rylie Harrod
Dr. Rylie Harrod is a freelance performer and educator based in Austin, Texas. Originally from Maine, she has traveled extensively with her music and teaching. She is currently the Director of the Young Artist Division of Texas Strings Festival, a one-week intensive string camp, along with being the owner and director of Harrod-Corral String Studio, offering private cello instruction for students ages 5+. A large part of Dr. Harrod’s teacher training was provided by the University of Texas String Project, where she served on the faculty for five years. She is currently the Principal Cellist of the Waco Symphony Orchestra, and she is a regular sub for both San Antonio and Austin Symphonies. Dr. Harrod previously subbed with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra and the Tucson Symphony Orchestra when she lived in Arizona.
Dr. Harrod was a scholarship recipient and completed her bachelor’s degree in Cello Performance at the Royal Academy of Music, London, UK. After four rainy years in London, Rylie moved to Tempe, Arizona, where she was the Teaching Assistant at Arizona State University. She completed her Doctorate in Musical Arts at the University of Texas, Austin. College summers were spent playing in orchestra at the Pacific Music Festival in Japan, and at the National Repertory Orchestra in Colorado.
She greatly enjoys collaborating with musicians and artists from many different genres. She has most recently recorded with the Alternative Band Third Eye Blind, and Southern Rock group Whisky Meyer. Some of her favorite performances were sharing the stage with Yo-Yo Ma on multiple occasions, and playing with Guster, her long-time favorite folk rock group.