Biography
Rachel Fryer (piano) has been widely praised for her depth of musical understanding, sensitive interpretations and virtuosity. She lives in Sussex and is greatly in demand both as a soloist and accompanist.
Rachel has performed throughout Britain at venues including Croydon’s Fairfield Hall and St. John Smith’s Square and for music societies including the Beethoven Piano Society as well as on luxury cruise liners. She has also performed concertos with many orchestras including the Hertfordshire Philharmonia and the Somerset Youth Orchestra. Rachel’s recordings have been broadcast on Classic FM and on European radio and television.
Originally from Hertfordshire, Rachel’s educational background is very diverse. After completing a music degree at York University she studied in Kharkov, Ukraine, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and The Royal College of Music, where she was awarded a Masters Degree in Advanced Performance and many prizes. She has received guidance from renowned pianists including John Lill, Barry Douglas, Joanna MacGregor, Howard Shelley, Steven Kovacevich and Bernard Roberts.
Early in her playing career, Rachel was inspired by working with Live Music Now! which was founded by Sir Yehudi Menuhin to bring the joy of live music to people who cannot otherwise access it. She is still passionate about keeping music accessible and at the heart of the community, and Rachel has worked with education projects including Glyndebourne Youth Opera, Orchestra of Sound and Light and Kidenza. She is also founder and Musical Director of Music & Wine at St. Luke’s, a concert series in Queen’s Park, Brighton.
Rachel has been Visiting Lecturer in Piano Studies and Accompanist at the East Sussex Academy of Music in Lewes since moving to Sussex in 2002 and has an active teaching career.
Rachel is a strong supporter of contemporary music and has worked with and premiered pieces by many composers including Richard Causton and Barry Mills. More recently she has worked with ReSoundings on a project called Variations Down the Line, which has commissioned five composers; Samuel Becker, Julian Broughton, Michael Finnissy, Alison Kay and Nicola LeFanu to compose sets of variations based on Bach’s Goldberg Variations, to be interspersed into Bach’s original.
Reviews
“Brilliant articulation with a deeply romantic feel for the music”
Dacorum Independent
“Her poised performance luxuriated in rich, late romantic language”
Glasgow Herald
“Her dexterous dancing fingertips brought the performance to a staggering finale”
Brighton Fringe
“Deeply musical”
Paul Hamburger
“Bach’s Goldberg Variations … a refreshingly bright and crisply articulated account. Bach’s sense of fun was delightfully teased out of the toccata variations and there was an infectious sense of enjoyment… The warm applause which rewarded Rachel Fryer at the end of the evening was richly deserved, for she had given us nothing less than a tour de force of technical virtuosity and musicianship’
Paul Conway, Musical Opinion
“Rachel’s interpretation of the very different musical genres was as refreshing as it was always appropriate… Her playing was crisp, clear and articulate throughout… Rachel employed minimal pedalling to maximum effect exploring, savouring the rich resonances whilst allowing lines and phrases to sing freely and with contrast… Samuels Becker’s excellent, specially commissioned ‘Light in the Dark’ became instantly accessible due to the combination of a brief introduction to the work by the composer and by Rachel’s sensitive and explicit playing… Rachel’s virtuosity, passion and sheer musicality was displayed to the full.”
Review by Latest Magazine of ‘Light in the Dark’ recital
“Rachel Fryer (piano) was sparkling and beguiling.”
Review of Rhapsody in Blue with Horsham Symphony Orchestra, John Sherlock
“Rachel gave a virtuoso performance, with nicely judged phrasing, with uninhibited power where appropriate, and delicacy of touch where required”
Philip Worth, review of Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto with Dacorum Symphony Orchestra