Prodigy dazzles at Rotary Evening With the Stars

Anyone lucky enough to see David Fraser, 19, perform at Rotary Evening With the Stars immediately sensed a stunning future for this St. Albert classical pianist.

His major selection, the cascading rhythms of Maurice Ravel’s Sonatin, was at once sensitive, playful, emotional and deeply dramatic. But later Fraser peeled away the layers by fingering the keys for a couple of pop and Broadway musical pieces that revealed a true love for all styles.

Despite his youth, Fraser has the marks of a prodigy and is one to keep an eye on. A student at King’s University College under the tutelage of the acclaimed Joachim Segger, he is mounting a recital at the college on Wednesday, April 25.

The chosen repertoire brings together compositions from Ravel, Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann and Giovanni Allevi.

“For me it’s all about the music. It’s a way to celebrate the wonderful music I have learned. It’s a way to share in its beauty. Performing is one of my greatest joys and to share this gift is special,” says Fraser.

Unlike most children, this tall, lanky pianist had to push his parents for lessons.

“I’ve loved music since an early age. My mother was a ballroom dance teacher and I was exposed to it before I was born. I was always fascinated with instruments and it didn’t take her long to get a piano.”

A family friend loaned the novice musician some beginner books. Once he could read the notes, “It wasn’t long before I went through the books in a couple of days. I was fascinated with how notes made different sounds.”

Over the years, Fraser has developed an equal proficiency in classical and contemporary, and has the awards to prove it.

In 2009 he was the St. Albert Rotary Music Festival’s prestigious Rose Bowl winner followed a year later by the Lyle Moore Scholarship. And in 2010, he advanced to provincials and received first place in a senior piano class.

After winning an online video competition for pianists sponsored by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, his prize was a one-hour debut solo recital at the Winspear Centre.

“It was the highlight so far. It was terribly exhilarating and wonderful at the same time. There’s a certain aura about the Winspear. Just to play the Steinway in an acoustic marvel like that was the realization of a dream. And it was much earlier than I anticipated.”

Also of note, Fraser was invited to play the organ at two Oilers games last November.

“Honestly. That was the single most terrifying musical experience I’ve had. It was the sheer number of people and the scope. And even though you play for a few seconds at a time, it’s pretty surreal to think the sound produced fills the hall and that’s what 18,000 people listen to.”

Back at the college’s comfortable digs, the recital will once again include Ravel’s impressionistic Sonatin, a three-movement work with short, contrasting moods.

Alternately, Mendelssohn’s romantic Variations SĂ©rieuses is one of the greatest theme and variations work of its time.

“It has 17 variations with the same harmonic structure, but the difference between each one is astonishing.”

Also written during the romantic period, Schumann’s Papillons is “a favourite in the world of piano literature. It will make a great entry piece.”

And lastly there’s popular Italian composer Allevi’s Vento d’Europa, a contemporary piece that captures the idea of the wind.

Fraser will also stroke the keys of two grand pianos – the college’s Glenn Gould piano donated from his estate and a newly arrived Hailun grand piano from Don’s Piano Warehouse.

“This will be a good opportunity to demonstrate different styles on different pianos.”