Frank Graves

Frank Graves

Board MemberI am a freelance violinist (member of the Boston AFM) who plays mostly small orchestra jobs in support of local choral societies and churches.   I sometimes serve as concertmaster of such groups.  My most common involvements over the past few years have been with:

  • Newton Choral Society – David Carrier, conductor
  • Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, and Heritage Chorale – John Finney, conductor
  • Dedham Choral Society – Jonathan Barnhart, conductor
  • Heritage Chorale – John Finney, conductor

On occasion I have played with local orchestras and in operas, but because I am a full-time energy economist (see below), I have typically not had time to become involved with groups that perform night after night.  

I have appeared in sonata recitals at the Salle Cortot in Paris, the Gardner Museum, St. Botolph Club, Longy School of Music, Weston Library, Newton Library, Dartmouth University, and Bemis Hall (Lincoln MA).  

Prior professional violin experience – In 1979 and 1980, I was a nearly full-time substitute in the second violin section of the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington D.C., under Mstislav Rostropovich.  I was also concertmaster of the McLean Chamber Orchestra, McLean VA, from 1976 to 1978.

Musical training – I studied violin at Indiana University in 1971-75.  My teachers there were Ruggiero Ricci, Harry Farbman (former concertmaster of St. Louis Symphony) and Jean Piguet (subsequent concertmaster of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande).  In high school, I studied in Vienna, Austria, with Guenter Pichler, subsequent first violinist in the Alban Berg Quartet.  More recently I have studied with Jorja Fleezanis (retired concertmaster of Minnesota Orchestra) at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University.

Other Music Affiliations – I have been a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at the Jacobs School of Music since 2015, and have been the Chair of that board since November 2016.  I am currently working with the JSoM on an assessment of the potential for online music education for pre-conservatory students, interested amateur musicians, and rural development music programs. 

Other education and work experience – I have an M.S. from the MIT Sloan School of Management with a concentration in Finance (1980) and a double B.A. from Indiana University (Bloomington IN) in mathematics and psychology (1976).  My current and full time employment is as a founder and Principal of the economics consulting firm:  The Brattle Group (1 Beacon Street, Boston MA 02108).

Personal – married with two sons; active as 2d degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do; avid wine enthusiast; proficient but not quite fluent in German

Example of playing – 2018 video of Beethoven 4th violin sonata: