ABOUT
Hello! I’m Rachel and I am a musician, composer and piano coach based in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.
For as long as I can remember, music has been a constant in my life, be it in the form of piano lessons accompanied by hours spent listening to albums and genres of music that piqued my curiosity and enjoyment in music.
Realising that I wanted to continue exploring this side of art and creativity, I embarked on a life changing move to Australia to study a Bachelor in Music (Contemporary Performance) at JMC Academy Brisbane whilst working as a piano coach to clients of diverse musical backgrounds and age groups.
My approach to piano coaching is to help my clients reach their goals and aspirations through practical and personalised piano lessons while inspiring a love for music.
Aside from being a student and teacher of music, I am also passionate about making music! My personal philosophy toward composition is perfectly summed up in the words of J.S. Bach:
“Music is an agreeable harmony for the honour of God and the permissible delights of the soul”.
Thank you for stopping by and I look forward to working with you!
Rachel x
MUSIC
Return To Eden
Release date: 11/11/2022
Album Artwork: Shanita Lyn Kumar
After moving back to Malaysia, I recorded and released another single titled Return To Eden in 2022. I started writing this piece at the end of 2020 when I felt as though I was beginning to push at the boundaries of modern classical music and play around with elements of creativity outside of my comfort zone. Return To Eden paints a picture of paradise within reach and an appreciation for nature.
hujan
Release date: 26/03/2021
Album Artwork: Shanita Lyn Kumar
Released on the 26th of March 2021, ‘hujan’, which is a Malay word for rain was formed during the heat and height of the bushfires that devastated many parts of Australia in early 2020. It was my unique way of releasing my thoughts and emotions about the trying times we were living in and expressing a sense of nostalgia for past memories and my wish for a hopeful conclusion. ‘hujan’ is also a homage to both my homes, of the one I come from (Malaysia) and the one I have lived in (Australia).
In essence, ‘hujan’ tells a story of longing and wanting for refreshment and familiarity.
Order in Chaos
Release date: 20/03/20
Album Artwork: Shanita Lyn Kumar
Order in Chaos was the merging of both my journey through different phases in life as well as my development as a piano player into a composer. There is an order to the chaos in our lives and how everything falls into place according to a divine pattern. Some of these pieces were birthed in the most fragile and poignant moments in my life and some came about through a little bit of tinkering on the piano and discovering what felt and sounded right together.
VIDEOS
Soliloquy: A Dance Film
“What do we say to ourselves when we are alone?
In a soliloquy, I am simultaneously the observed and the observer.”
Soliloquy: A Dance Film is a virtual collaboration between pianist-composer Rachel Morais and dancer-choreographer SueKi Yee
Videographer: Yee Heng Yeh
Videographer and editor: Beth Hughes
This project was created during quarantine with support from Cendana Malaysia.
Order in Chaos
Filmed and edited by Beth Hughes in the colourful and eccentric streets of Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. Here’s a little sneak peek of my debut EP, Order in Chaos.
PRESS
The Star online on “Soliloquy: A Dance Film”
“A spark in the dark: Dancer and pianist strike a chord with their virtual film collaboration” — Rouwen Lim
Eksentrika on Rachel Morais
“Unlike other piano compositions we’ve heard, there was something uniquely different in Morais’ works. Her music, according to her social media’s description, reflects the fragility and realness of life.” — Sukhbir Cheema
BFM 89.9 Radio Interview
“A collaborative dance video between dancer and choreographer SueKi Yee and musician Rachel Morais, it was made this year, while observing social distancing requirements, and with SueKi in Kuala Lumpur and Rachel in Brisbane. We speak to them both about their collaborative process, and what it was like to make art during a global pandemic.” — Sharmilla Ganesan