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Celebrating 15 Years of Teaching & 10 Years of Choral Excellence in Milwaukee: Rachel Maki

This upcoming 2025-2026 season marks a major milestone for Rachel Maki and Making Music Vocal Arts — celebrating 15 years of teaching and 10 years of teaching, conducting, and performing throughout Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin.


Over the past decade in Milwaukee, Rachel has dedicated herself to building meaningful vocal music experiences rooted in artistry, community, and connection. During those years, she has helped grow and lead three different choral organizations:

  • Lake Country Children’s Choir

  • Milwaukee Children’s Choir

  • and now her own organization, Making Music Vocal Arts (MMVA)


What began as a passion for helping singers discover confidence and purpose through music has grown into a career centered on collaboration, education, and artistic excellence.

Throughout her years in Milwaukee, Rachel has collaborated with many respected arts organizations including the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Florentine Opera, Danceworks, and numerous schools and community arts organizations throughout Wisconsin. She has worked with singers of all ages — from young developing voices to adult ensembles — always focusing on the belief that music should be both artistically meaningful and deeply human.


Singing with Purpose

That philosophy became the foundation for MMVA when Rachel founded Making Music Vocal Arts in July of 2024. Through private lessons, youth and adult ensembles, workshops, clinics, and collaborative performances, MMVA continues to create spaces where singers can grow not only vocally, but personally and artistically as well.


In recent years, Rachel has also expanded her work as a guest clinician for schools, festivals, honor choirs, and community organizations throughout Wisconsin. Her rehearsal style emphasizes healthy vocalism, storytelling through music, confidence-building, and creating an environment where singers feel both challenged and supported.


A Celebration Season Begins

To celebrate these milestones, MMVA is excited to launch a special season of music-making and reconnection throughout the community.


The celebration season will begin with:

  • Summer Choral Showcase- Registration OPEN! Grades 7th-12th

  • Motif Chorale: Ladies Edition- Fill out Interest Form to get information!

  • Additional collaborative projects and musical events throughout the year


More details will be released soon for the Ladies Edition, and singers are strongly encouraged to join the MMVA Interest List for both Youth and Adults to receive information and early registration opportunities right away.


We Want to Hear From You

As part of this celebration season, Rachel and MMVA would love to reconnect with former singers, students, families, collaborators, and community members who have been part of this 15-year journey.


We invite you to share:

  • How you know Ms. Maki

  • A favorite memory or musical moment

  • What you are doing now


Whether you sang in choir years ago, participated in a clinic, collaborated professionally, or attended a performance, your story is part of this musical journey.


Memories and messages can be shared by:


Looking Ahead

Music has always been about more than performance — it is about connection, growth, storytelling, and community. Rachel is deeply grateful for every singer, family, colleague, and organization that has helped shape these past 15 years.


As MMVA looks ahead to its next chapter, this celebration season is not only about reflecting on the past, but also about creating new opportunities to sing together once again.

Here’s to 15 years of teaching, 10 years in Milwaukee, and many more songs still to come. Congratulation Rachel!


@mmvocalarts


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