Today we’d like to introduce you to Pauline Frechette.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My real name is Pauline Frechette and I took the name Raven Kane for my rock career in the mid’80s and 90s. I have always been a composer/performer starting out singing on my father’s radio show at age 5 and studying piano at age 6, and violin at age 7. I played in youth symphonies on the violin, and won awards in both violin and piano competitions. My Great-grandfather, Josef Vezina, founded the Quebec Symphony. I inherited his violin as a child. As a teen I toured Europe singing and dancing with a Catholic group called the “Showteens..” At 17 I applied for admission to the London School of Dramatic Art and then auditioned for them in England the following year and was accepted into their program for a year. During that time I also auditioned for and was accepted to the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) and the Bristol Old Vic Drama School. But situations at home brought me back to the States where I won a scholarship to the American Conservatory of Music. After three years at the Conservatory, I was cast by the Broadway producer of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” to play Lucy. NYC became my home and over the next few years I supported myself singing and writing jingles, composing songs for PBS, doing voice-overs and performing my own songs in clubs. I also wrote the book, music and lyrics for the musical, <i>Ataria</i>, which was produced at The Goodspeed Opera House. It was later re-written and produced at the Baruch Theatre in NYC. I also wrote the musical <i>”Survival of the Heart”</i> with Karen Black, which was produced by the late Marvin Krauss.
Upon moving back to Los Angeles, I married arranger/composer, David Campbell. Together we worked with many legendary artists including: Cher, Willie Nelson, MUSE for the 2012 Olympics; Paul McCartney, Leonard Cohen, and I sang duets with Neil Diamond on his World Tour.My. I did most of this work under my aka Raven Kane. Later, I focused on composing, returning to my real name, Pauline Frechette. My compositions are best defined as “Neo-classical” DEF. “The use of modern techniques within the classical form composing music that reflects one’s own compositional voice..” They have been performed by the Baltimore Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, New West Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony, National Symphony at the Kennedy Center and at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
In solo concerts I love to move effortlessly from neo-classical piano pieces to romantic jazz and humorous theatrical songs, taking audiences on an emotional journey with humor, passionate and haunting melodies. Usually I accompany myself on a concert grand playing live to videos of ballet, jazz, art and other forms of storytelling. At my Thayer Hall concert in downtown L.A., I received nine standing ovations.
My last four albums all debuted in the Billboard Top Ten Classical and Jazz charts. and my music is being played in over 150 countries on store radio to billions of listeners and has over 30 million streams on the various platforms.
This past summer my children’s musical, <i>Me and My Friends, A Musical Adventure</i>, was produced at the Ojai Art Center Theater to a sold- out audience and is now being prepped for an animated series. My current album project features legendary bassist, Stanley Clarke, and will be available next spring.
Other projects in the works include: a piano/cello album; variations for piano & violin; and a new composition for the New West Symphony’s 2025 Christmas Concert which will include a children’s choir, adult choir and orchestra.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There are always struggles, but having a very clear view of my goals and deep love for what I do makes all the difference. Also, I am a Scientologist, so I have the advantage of using their courses to help me plot out and reach those goals.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love working with collaborators, whether it’s the casts of my shows or the symphony players or other instrumentalists. Working with other talents is always inspiring and great fun!
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Have a clear vision of what it is you want to accomplish. State your goals and refer to them daily. Keep yourself inspired by admiring the work of others. Scientology has many courses you can take online that can help you to align your goals and reach them. Many of these courses are free. Just go to: scientology.org
Contact Info:
- Website: paulinefrechette.com
- Instagram: paulinefrechettemusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulinefrechettemusic
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauline-frechette-aka-raven-kane-051987159/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@paulinefrechette6368
- soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/paulinefrechette
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/35ylvm2QoBi2g2yf1JzyYN?si=JKPFb-JxTomZumY58lWoMQ
Image Credits
1st pic photographer David Zaugh last pix Photographer Michael Doven
