Luke Frazier || Conductor

LUKE

FRAZIER

MUSIC

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of NATO, I founded the inaugural NATO Symphony Orchestra, representing all 32 NATO countries and providing a paid opportunity for students and featured musicians at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC!

All student musicians are studying in the US and hail from a NATO member country or are first-generation American students of NATO country immigrants.

LUKE FRAZIER Conductor

Luke Frazier is a conductor, music director and pianist who believes that the future of music depends on breaking down barriers between musicians and audiences. His philosophy is that the most important priority for a modern conductor is not only musical excellence, but also creating diverse and engaging programming that brings communities together through the joy of music and gets people from all walks of life excited about orchestral performances. Luke believes that conductors are the bridge between the audience and the orchestra and what he programs and how it relates to the listeners, is the heartbeat of what keeps orchestral programming alive.

Luke started The American Pops Orchestra (APO) in 2015 to present a broad array of popular and classical music in innovative ways to bring new audiences into the orchestral world. APO has been featured in thirty national broadcasts on PBS with programs ranging in genre from classical to country, jazz to musical theatre. Perhaps most notably, WICKED IN CONCERT, not only excited television audiences by presenting this beloved musical on screen for the first time ever, but the show also garnered lots of online love and attention (including trending in the top ten on Twitter).

Artists like Renée Fleming, Patti LaBelle, Ariana DeBose, Joshua Bell, Josh Groban and so
many more have joined the orchestra, sharing orchestral music with an audience of over
sixty million viewers across the country, completely free of charge.

Creating opportunities for the next generation of music makers and music lovers is always a priority for Luke. Each year, Luke spends at least three weeks touring live shows to underserved elementary schools for free, and through virtual tour streaming, has reached over 100k students across all 50 states. Additionally, Luke helms a proud partnership with Children’s National Hospital that brings free children’s programming to the young patients under their care in the Children’s Hospital network across the country. Luke is also passionate about finding outstanding college musicians. He founded APO’s annual NextGen Vocal Competition, where winners earn cash prizes and career-boosting performance experiences. He also founded the NATO Symphony Orchestra in honor of the 75th Anniversary of NATO, comprised of college musicians from all 32 NATO Countries who will perform together at the Library of Congress for dignitaries both domestic and international.

In addition to his work with APO and PBS, he maintains a busy schedule as a guest conductor and pianist. Luke is the newly appointed pops conductor of The Symphony of the Americas, in addition to regularly guest conducting orchestras across the country in an array of classical and popular repertoire. Luke is conducting an expanded concert series at Lincoln Center this coming season and he is the Artistic Director of Nouveau Productions. He appears regularly in venues from Lincoln Center to The Smithsonian, The Los Angeles Music Center to The Kravis Center and many more. Luke is proud to represent the United States of America with APO, which was designated an official Arts Envoy for the United States Department of State.

Luke is fortunate to call many of the world’s most incredible artists both friends and collaborators. Chita Rivera, Harry Connick Jr., Wynton Marsalis, Sandi Patty, Kristin Chenoweth, Jamie Barton, Paulo Szot, Vanessa Williams, Arturo Sandoval, Rita Moreno, Peter Frampton, Ricardo Morales and so many more have joined Luke on stage and screen for original programs of all varieties.

Passionately committed to the next generation of musicians, Luke spends a significant amount of time and resources with all levels of aspiring musicians. Each year APO hosts a free national collegiate vocal competition, hosts instrumental and vocal masterclasses for collegiate musicians, creates original children’s programming of the highest caliber and spends two weeks visiting schools free of charge in some of the poorest regions of our country. Luke believes in the power of music to open new doors for children, in fact it was an elementary school gymnasium performance that inspired his own career.

Interested in learning more about Luke or The American Pops Orchestra? Check out the links below to follow on social media and stay up to date!

Luke is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Nouveau Productions. Nouveau is a full-service production and events company, specializing in the producing of live events, domestic and international conferences, procurement of entertainment, artistic direction and event management services for some of the most significant institutions and individuals around the world.

Luke is the Founder and Music Director of The American Pops Orchestra (APO). APO strives to build community through the preservation, promotion and reimagination of American popular music. Through live and virtual performances, educational initiatives and collaborations APO makes the highest quality art accessible to the broadest audiences.

LUKE FRAZIER
MUSIC