Violinist Laura Frazelle holds a Master’s degree in Violin Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where she studied as a violin student of David Updegraff and completed her long-term Suzuki training (Books 1-10) as a student of Kimberly Meier-Sims. Ms. Frazelle holds a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance cum laude from the University of Cincinnati: College-Conservatory of Music, under the tutelage of Dr. Won-Bin Yim and Piotr Milewski. Additional studies with: William Preucil, Stephen Rose, Elisabeth Adkins, Jacques Israelievitch, Gabriel Pegis.

 

Ms. Frazelle has extensive experience as both a performer and teacher. As a violinist, she plays regularly with orchestras across Virginia, Maryland and Washington D.C., including the Richmond and Baltimore Symphonies. She has held core and per-service positions with the Richmond Symphony (VA), and is a former core member of the Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra. She currently is a member of the 1st violin section of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra and Washington Concert Opera. She plays regularly with choral groups in the D.C. area, including the Georgetown Chorale, Choral Arts Society of Washington, and Choralis, where she's served as Principal 2nd violin. She served as Assistant Principal 2nd violin for 5 years with the American Pops Orchestra, as well as Concertmaster of the Manassas Chorale Orchestra. She has played at venues throughout the East and West Coast, including the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, the Music Center at Strathmore, Benaroya Hall and Severance Hall. 

Ms. Frazelle has performed as a soloist with orchestra on several occasions, most recently playing Ravel Tzigane with the Heights Chamber Orchestra in 2014. Ms. Frazelle’s other projects include performing for weddings and other events in the Washington D.C. area. 

 

As a teacher, Ms. Frazelle received the Virginia String Teacher Association's 2021 Outstanding String Teacher of the Year Award in recognition of her private studio. She runs a private studio out of her home, teaching students as young as 4.5 up to college. Ms. Frazelle has been on the faculty at the Blue Ridge Suzuki Camp since 2023. She has also been a faculty member of the Greater Washington Suzuki Institute in 2017 and 2021. 

In the past, she served on the Board of Directors for the Suzuki Association of the Greater Washington Area (SAGWA), and served on the Suzuki faculty at the Levine School of Music for the 2014-2015 school years. 

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Her pedagogy training includes:

-Suzuki Association of the Americas registered training Books 1-10, Every Child Can!, and Violin Practicum. Teacher trainers include Kimberly Meier Sims and Ronda Cole

-University of Cincinnati: College-Conservatory of Music, String Pedagogy with Kurt Sassmannshaus

-Cleveland Institute of Music, Suzuki Theory training with Dr. Jenny Conner

-Cleveland Institute of Music, Eurythmics Pedagogy for Young Children with Brian Sweigart

-Indiana University, Mimi Zweig’s Violin and Viola Retreat 

-Sato Center for Suzuki Studies, Cleveland Institute of Music, Substitute teacher for theory and Suzuki group classes

 

Ms. Frazelle’s students received superior ratings at Solo and Ensemble Contests multiple years in a row; been accepted into the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras, The Capitol Symphonic Youth Orchestras, and Youth Orchestras of Prince William; been accepted to All-County Orchestras with principal and assistant principal chairs; attended summer camps across the country (including the Jacobs School of Music Junior String Academy, American Youth Philharmonic Summer String Academy, the Texas String Festival, and numerous Suzuki camps; and gained acceptance into college for music.

 

She resides with her husband, Daniel, a clarinetist in the United States Navy Band, and her two sons.