Rachel Holstead is a composer from Corca Dhuibhne in the southwest corner of Ireland. She writes instrumental and electronic music and enjoys collaborations with artists in many different artforms. Her music draws inspiration from many sources with each piece seeking to inhabit a space in the world.

In recent years, Rachel has written music for the Irish Baroque Orchestra, the RTE Vanbrugh Quartet, the Irish Chamber Orchestra, the Ulster Orchestra and Sinfonia Viva. She has written works that feature traditional Irish musicians for the Kerry International Chamber Music Festival and Ardee Baroque and been commissioned by RTE, BBC Radio 3, Moving on Music and Louth County Council (through the Percent for Art Scheme). Her electroacoustic works have been performed in Germany, Spain, Canada, the U.S., Mexico, the UK and Ireland.

In 2005, Rachel graduated with a PhD in composition from Queen's University Belfast, having worked under the guidance of Professor Michael Alcorn at the School of Music and Sonic Art. Before that, she did a music degree at Trinity College, Dublin, where she worked with Kevin O' Connell and Donnacha Dennehy. She has attended the Dartington International Summer School and the Ennis IMRO Composition Summer School (now the Irish Composition Summer School).

Rachel has received awards from the Arts Councils of Ireland and Northern Ireland, Ealaion na Gaeltachta, Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta, Queen's University Belfast and an ATOM award from PRSF.

Rachel is a Fellow of the MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire and has enjoyed residencies in the Leighton Studios and in the Music & Sound Programme at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada.

Rachel is represented by the Contemporary Music Centre in Dublin. Her music is licensed by IMRO.