We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Luke Frazier a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Luke, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful work I think I’ve done so far is equally split between my work on PBS and my free children’s outreach touring.

Over the last 3 years I’ve been able to create 18 original programs for PBS ranging from Opera and Musical Theater to World Music and classic hymns. Having grown up in a small town and spending my career in large urban areas I think I have a unique perspective on a broad swath of the viewing audience. I love the challenge of carefully crafting each show, thinking about the audience we hope to engage both new and old alongside the music and artists I want to feature.

I first fell in love with orchestral music via a school performance in my gym in elementary school. I know that there are many kids out there that just need that one chance to engage with professional musicians to realize they could follow that path. Every year I lead 3 weeks of touring both live and virtual. Over the last 3 years we’ve engaged students in all 50 states all the while visiting schools primarily in Appalachia that are so often overlooked by large arts organizations. I want to give voice to the children in rural areas that have big dreams and incredible talent.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I’m an orchestral conductor with a background in many genres of music and a life experience of splitting half my life in rural America and half my life in urban America. Every day in my work I try to think about honoring my life experience while creating programs and concerts that will engage the largest community possible.

I believe orchestras should serve as service organizations first and foremost. Orchestras of course provide musical service, but what about partnering with other organizations and reaching out to those not in the musical world. I like to spend time carefully researching audiences and communities always making sure that whatever I do is a reflection of the interests, passions and traditions of who is in the audience. The best part about music is that there’s great music that can serve that purpose in every setting, and luckily so many fantastic instrumentalists and guest artists that can bring every kind of music to life. I want to honor all music equally which I think translates to honoring all audiences equally.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Making sure that live music remains vital in our culture through a blend of old and new traditions. Many orchestras and arts organizations are in precarious positions these days, largely after years of turning a blind eye to the audiences in their backyard. I decided when I started The American Pops Orchestra that central to our mission was to use what we love to bring all kinds of people together. If we can bring people together through Bach, great. If we can bring people together through Drag, great. There are many seats at our table and I love expanding our reach!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The biggest lesson I had to unlearn is too much reverence for traditions that don’t serve the music or the audience. So often in musical training we’re taught about “the way it should be” or the “industry standard” which results in a sort of antiquated museum like approach to music making and music sharing. This kind of mentality is the mentality that ranks orchestras, puts some artists and art above others and quickly designates high art from common art.

When I let all of that go and stayed true to what I knew moved me and what I was witnessing moving audiences the entire game changed. Go where the passion can be ignited and keep fueling the fire.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.LukeFrazierMusic.com
• Instagram: @LukeFrazierMusic
• Facebook: @LukeFrazier
• Other: Many links to my work on www.PBS.org and the PBS passport online service

Image Credits
Emil Cohen for the black and white headshot