Widely recognised as one of New Zealand's leading piano pedagogues, Rae was formerly Head of Piano at the University of Auckland, where she taught for more than 20 years. Her students have excelled in both national and international competitions, most notably John Chen, who Rae taught for 11 years before he went on to win both the Lev Vlassenko Australasian Piano Competition and the Sydney International Piano Competition. Many of her former students are now established as professional pianists in various parts of the globe.

Rae is passionate about helping students to establish and maintain a healthy and coordinated technique which is resistant to injury. Her highly successful interactive book Fit 4 Piano includes specific exercises which are relevant for students of every level from the earliest beginner to the professional pianist. It is available in both electronic and printed versions where more than 80 HD videos can be viewed with QR codes. www.raedelisle.com. She is currently working on an online course entitled 'Exploring Piano Technique', which will be available soon.
Her research into pianistic injury has included ground-breaking PhD research into focal dystonia, the most devastating of musicians' injuries. This has led to presentations throughout the world, including a number of keynote addresses at international conferences.

She received an Excellence in Teaching Award from the University of Auckland in 2011 and in the same year was awarded the Marie Vandewart Memorial Award for outstanding service and commitment to fostering the love of chamber music in New Zealand. She is Artistic Director and founder of the Lewis Eady National Piano Competition and Festival. An experienced adjudicator, she has served on international juries for the Dublin International Piano Competition, the Gina Bachauer Junior and Young Artists Competition, the Singapore National Piano Competition, the Lee University International Piano Competition and the Pacific Rim International Festival.

In 2015 she was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to music.