Luke Frazier, a West Virginia University School of Music alumnus and accomplished conductor, music director and pianist, recently returned to his alma mater for a mini-residency with students.
During his residency, Frazier spent time with piano and vocal students, offering advice and techniques to improve their crafts.
“I firmly believe that to who much is given, much is expected. Those of us that have success in a career owe it to all the next generations and the people who helped them get there to give back as much as we possibly can,” Fraizer said.
Frazier was born and raised in West Virginia and graduated from the School of Music in 2007. In 2015, he founded the American Pops Orchestra (APO) to introduce new audiences to orchestral music. The orchestra has been featured in 30 national Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) broadcasts, including WICKED in Concert. The orchestra also tours through schools in Appalachia each year.
He regularly offers paid opportunities to WVU students interested in joining the orchestra’s performances. Recently, Jacob Schear, a music performance major, joined the American Pops Orchestra's program commemorating the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). WVU students also participate in the orchestra’s tour through West Virginia Schools, and current and former students joined Fraizer to tape “Broadway’s Leading Men: A Musical Celebration,” which is airing on PBS stations throughout November and December.
“I want to make sure that I am giving back to my home that I love so much,” Fraizer said. “There’s nothing better than providing paid professional opportunities for college students in West Virginia schools.”
In addition to his work with APO, Frazier regularly organizes and participates in free performances and music education initiatives across the country. He established a partnership with Children’s National Hospital to provide free children’s programming to young patients across its network of hospitals , and regularly serves as a guest conductor for The Symphony of the Americas, for which he was recently appointed pops conductor.
During his visit to WVU, the School of Music surprised Frazier by presenting the Kefferstan Awards to music students Azalea Kelley, Julianna Perkowski, Phillip Keefover, Alanna Burden, Isaac Beverlin and Shaylee Groves. Frazier created the award in memory of Christine Kefferstan, a former School of Music professor who died in 2014.
“I credit her with so much of my artistic formation, not only at the piano, but teaching me how to listen, how to work with other musicians and how to fit into this bigger artistic community,” he said. “I wanted to make sure the award spanned all musical disciplines, so each division could give out an award to a student who is excelling in their field to give them that extra boost of confidence.”
Fraizer said the well-rounded education provided by the WVU School of Music led him to success.
“One of the things I valued so much at WVU was the curiosity that was going on all around me,” he said. “It’s a warm place, it’s a community who cares and it is a place for every one of every background, every belief and every opinion. You’ll find a community here, and it’s a great place to nurture your dreams.”
Frazier hopes to stress to all college students the importance of impacting others.
“You not only have to master your art but also figure out how that art is going to touch the lives of the people around you,” he said. “You have to do the baseline of getting your art to the highest level possible, which is a high baseline, and then you have to think about how you can make this art relevant and meaningful to the world around us.”
To learn more about the School of Music, visit music.wvu.edu.