Judith Fraser

Fraser, Judith

Judith (Anne) Fraser. Cellist, teacher, b Calgary 17 Sep 1934. She began to study cello at 10, working with Mary Short in Calgary and, after 1949, with Audrey Piggott in Vancouver. She lived 1954-60 in London, where she studied cello 1954-7 with Douglas Cameron at the RAM and briefly with Paul Tortelier, and was principal cello 1957-60 with the Festival Ballet orchestra and played in the Sadler's Wells Opera orchestra. She returned to Vancouver in 1960 and thereafter studied cello on occasion with Colin Hampton, Zara Nelsova, Aldo Parisot (at the Banff CA in 1989), and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi.

Fraser has played in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (1953-4, 1960-71) and the CBC Vancouver Chamber Orchestra (1953-4, 1960-81), and was a founding member and manager of the Baroque Strings of Vancouver (1967-88). She helped to found the Vancouver Cello Club in 1968 (and remained an active member in 1991), joined the orchestra of the Vancouver Opera in 1977, becoming orchestra manager in 1981, and was principal cellist 1980-3 of Symphony Canadiana. She has taught cello privately and at the Courtenay Youth Music Camp (1969-74), Malaspina College in Nanaimo, BC (1977-8), the Vancouver Academy of Music (from 1972), and Central Vancouver Island Music School (from 1977). Her pupils have included Sonia de Langen, Carrie Eley, Stephanie Finn, Margaret Gay, John Husser, Morag Northey, Sean Varah, and Sophie Willer. Fraser's playing has consistently displayed insight and sensitivity, and her teaching is marked by dedication to her task and to her students.