Caleb Frailey
Instrument: Violin
Studies:
University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance
Biography:
Caleb Frailey, a native of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, began his violin studies at the age of thirteen, working alongside Professor James Lyon of the Pennsylvania State University leading up to attending university. He currently studies under the tutelage of Professor Danielle Belen at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.
At the age of fifteen, Caleb began competing in Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) Orchestra Festivals, where he excelled in the three years he was eligible to take part, being Concertmaster of the PMEA District 4/6 Orchestra (2020, 2021, 2022), Violinist of the PMEA Western Regional Orchestra (2020, 2021, 2022), PMEA All-State Orchestra (2020, 2021, 2022), as well as being selected to take part in the 2021 National Association for Music Education (NAfME) All-Eastern Orchestra. Caleb feels extremely fortunate to have been able to compete in PMEA and NAfME Orchestra Festivals, having gotten to experience performing a wide array of powerful and profound works in the classical music canon.
In his hometown, Caleb has been a serving member of the Altoona Symphony Orchestra since 2021, as well as being the Concertmaster of the Altoona Youth Orchestra since its founding in 2019. Getting the opportunity to perform and work alongside members of the Altoona Symphony Orchestra has played a major role in his development and growth as a young musician.
Since beginning his studies at the University of Michigan in 2022, Caleb has been able to take part in a wide array of opportunities that have played major roles in his development as an artist and advocate for classical music, including serving as a mentor to the Civic Youth Ensembles at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2022, premiering chamber music for students in the Master’s of Composition program at the University of Michigan, and he has truly developed a passion for orchestra, chamber music, and music education, reflecting upon the influence all have had on his development as a musician.
Caleb was also elected by his department chair at the University of Michigan to be a 2023 SMTD Ambassador, representing the string department and its students.
Since beginning his journey with chamber music in the summer of 2022 at Center Stage Strings at the University of Michigan, Caleb has gotten to work alongside and receive coachings from world-class chamber musicians, such as first violinist of The Cavani String Quartet Annie Fullard, violist Jeremy Berry of The Calidore String Quartet, and violinist Sang Mee Lee of the Music Institute of Chicago. His primary chamber coach as a freshman at the University of Michigan was Professor Kathryn Votapek.
Caleb currently plays on a 1995 Alceste Bulfari violin, generously on loan to him by the Virtu Foundation.
