Rie Mochizuki was born in Japan and studied bassoon at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music.  After graduation she travelled to Philadelphia to study with Daniel Matsukawa, Principal Bassoon of the Philadelphia Orchestra, where she remained for 2 years.  Rie was a semi-finalist in the Fifth Osaka National Chamber Music Competition with her wind quintet, and a major prize winner at the First Yokohama International Music Competition in 2007.  From 2008-2009 she held a bassoon fellowship at the Toho Academy Orchestra in Toyama.  She has participated in masterclasses with Stefan Schweigert, Milan Turkovic and the Berlin Wind Quintet, and numerous music festivals including the Pacific Music Festival with Valery Gergiev and Ozawa-jyuku under Seiji Ozawa.

Rie has played with the New Japan Symphony Orchestra and Tokyo Opera no Mori in Japan, and since moving to Australia in 2010 she has played with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria.  Rie is licensed as a Music Teacher in her native Japan and is accredited as an Intellectual Music Instructor with the Japan Baby Coaching Association.  She holds a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care in Australia.