Our Director
NATALIE FRAKES is a musician and educator who believes deeply in using music as a vehicle for social change. When she’s not teaching, she keeps busy performing and has been part of live productions for current artists such as Laufey, Jennifer Hudson, Ariana Grande, Stevie Wonder, Kygo, Burna Boy, Michael Bublé, and more.
Ms. Frakes is a passionate educator and has devoted her time as a teaching artist and educator in the public schools and with El Sistema-inspired programs. She was Director of Orchestras for Oxford Community Schools and has been a teaching artist with the Sphinx Organization, Detroit Symphony's Civic Youth Ensembles, MSU Community Music School-Detroit, and El Sistema-inspired programs including Accent Pontiac, Baltimore Symphony's OrchKids, and has lived and taught in Costa Rica and Chile. She is actively engaged as a music educator in disempowered communities, knows the schools from first hand experience and shows keen judgement in their needs.
Ms. Frakes was born, raised, and educated in Detroit, MI and graduated from Wayne State University, magna cum laude. She is currently finishing her Masters in Music Education from Longy School of Music at Bard College. You can learn more about Ms. Frakes here.
Ms. Frakes is a passionate educator and has devoted her time as a teaching artist and educator in the public schools and with El Sistema-inspired programs. She was Director of Orchestras for Oxford Community Schools and has been a teaching artist with the Sphinx Organization, Detroit Symphony's Civic Youth Ensembles, MSU Community Music School-Detroit, and El Sistema-inspired programs including Accent Pontiac, Baltimore Symphony's OrchKids, and has lived and taught in Costa Rica and Chile. She is actively engaged as a music educator in disempowered communities, knows the schools from first hand experience and shows keen judgement in their needs.
Ms. Frakes was born, raised, and educated in Detroit, MI and graduated from Wayne State University, magna cum laude. She is currently finishing her Masters in Music Education from Longy School of Music at Bard College. You can learn more about Ms. Frakes here.
