Spencer Frie – Strings

Spencer Frie is an active cellist player and has performed as principal and section cellist with many orchestras in the Upper Midwest, including the St. Cloud Symphony, Fargo-Moorhead Symphony, Heartland Symphony, and the Greater Grand Forks Symphony, among others. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from St. John’s University – Collegeville, MN, where he majored in both cello performance and K-12 instrumental music education. He earned his Master of Music Education degree from VanderCook College of Music – Chicago, IL. His primary teacher was Lucia Magney, a former student of Bernard Greenhouse and Tanya Remenikova. Additionally, Spencer has studied cello with Greg Hamilton, Simona Barbu, and Joel Salvo. He has performed in masterclasses with Amit Peled, Tony Ross, Betsy Husby, Mark Rudoff, and Anthony Arnone.

Spencer is currently Orchestra Director at Riverside Brookfield High School in Riverside, Illinois. Prior to this, he taught high school orchestra for five years in Minnesota, leading a string program in which enrollement grew from 60 to over 100 students. He coordinated unique collaborations between his students and professional musicians and created a wide variety of performance opportunities for his orchestras. He has also actively maintained a private lesson studio for ten years, preparing his students for success in performance contests and auditions for entrance into all-state and regional honor orchestras. In support of his work as a performer and educator, Spencer is a member of the American String Teachers Association and the National Association for Music Education.

It is Spencer’s sincere belief that music develops students as whole people, encouraging sensitivity, empathy, responsibility, perseverance, and dedication. His students are motivated, inspired, and have developed independent learning skills, all while cultivating a passion for their instrument.