Today we’d like to introduce you to Harriet Fraser.
Hi Harriet, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I was born near the East coast of the UK in a city called Norwich-not on the way to anywhere, but I knew I had to spread my wings so I left for London at 18, and entered medical school. I had been passionate about classical music from an early age, learned cello and piano from the age of 6 or 7, and sang all the time. One of those geeky kids who spent all my pocket money on classical music cassette tapes and then when I was old enough worked at a classical record store and never took cash home, it was always another recording. So although I had a calling to heal I remained steadfast in my passion for classical music and sang and played as much as I could during med school, and then went to music college after qualifying as a family doctor, and worked as a singer part-time and a doctor part-time.
I met my Californian husband while at music college and a few years later, with two young children in tow, we made the move to Los Angeles. Here I made connections in the session singing business and started to sing as a professional ensemble singer with the Los Angeles Master Chorale. When the pandemic hit and we couldn’t sing together, I set up a makeshift recording studio at home and recorded an album of arrangements by my good friend Shawn Kirchner, mixed and mastered by my friend Dana Nielsen, and ‘Harriet Fraser Music’ was born. The album, called Peace, was intended to be an oasis of calm, and peace and tranquility amongst the fear and suffering of that time.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Moving stateside with young children and an inability to continue in my medical career was a struggle at times. The culture shock of moving countries I did not anticipate, especially with a shared language, but it’s real and it took time!! When I decided to become a recording artist during the pandemic, with little or no technical skill, this was a huge hurdle to overcome, thanks to some very patient friends, Dana Nielsen and Slade McMurry, who literally talked me through my issues and problems with setting up a home studio and working complicated software I had never used or dreamed or using before!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I work as a singer- as a professional ensemble singer and soloist, a session singer and recording artist and audiobook narrator. Every day is different from preparing for a concert with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, which is usually an intense 10-12 days of rehearsals and then a concert at Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown Los Angeles, or preparing for a concert with the LA Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel, to recording a movie soundtrack at one of the big studios, to recording in my own home. I am very proud of the album I created during the pandemic, which launched my personal recording work, it’s entitled ‘Peace’ and was a physician-musician trying to create a sense of calm, tranquility and peace for people during the turmoil and fear of the initial months of the pandemic. The arrangements and some original compositions are all by my friend Shawn Kirchner, and the mixing and mastering was all done by Dana Neilsen.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I think the most important thing I have learned along the way is about family-the strength, the importance and the love and dedication you need to keep those relationships strong so everyone can mutually support each other. The pandemic really gave me pause for thought in this regard and we came out stronger. Creating art is the other message I’ve learned, I know I need this to be an integral part of my life, and even when it’s hard or things aren’t going quite as expected, it feeds the soul.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.harrietfraser.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harrietfrasermusic/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067996059742
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaCLDOZT_8Q-2e3M9IDj-5w
Image Credits
Nicola Buck
