Roger Frisch

Associate Concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra, Roger Frisch received his early musical training from his father, who was the longtime Associate Concertmaster of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.  He earned a bachelor’s degree from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, studying with Henry Meyer of the LaSalle Quartet, and a master’s degree from Indiana University, where he studied with the renowned pedagogue Josef Gingold. Prizewinner of the Hermann Violin Competition and the Coleman International Chamber Music Competition, Frisch enjoys a wide-ranging career as soloist, chamber musician, pedagogue and orchestral player.

Frisch frequently appears as soloist with orchestras in this country and in Europe.  His solo performances with orchestras in the past few years have included repertoire from Modern to Baroque: the Korngold Concerto, The Lark Ascending, Brahms Double Concerto, Mozart Symphonie concertante, Paulus Concerto #3, Vivaldi Four Seasons, Arvo Paart’s Fratres and Bottesini Duo Concertante, along with many others. He has performed more than 25 solo works with the Minnesota Orchestra, most recently Corigliano’s The Red Violin: Chaconne for Violin and Orchestra. He made his Carnegie Hall solo debut with orchestra in April 1992 and during the 1994-95 season Frisch was concertmaster of the Milwaukee Symphony.

A dedicated chamber musician, he was a founding member of the Minneapolis Artists Ensemble with which he recorded a number of 20th century chamber works in addition to a highly acclaimed recording of the Hummel Quintet. Since 1997 he has performed extensively throughout the United States and the country of Ukraine with the Kairos Trio, with flutist Michele Antonello Frisch and pianist Herbert Johnson. In 2007 and again in 2008 he traveled to China for concerto appearances with orchestras in addition to recital performances and master classes. His recent performances abroad have included a series of trio and duo recitals in Sydney, Australia, as well as violin master classes at the Sydney Conservatory in summer 2014.

Frisch spends summers performing at a variety of music festivals.  Along with a recent appearance at the Credo Festival and Master Works Festival as soloist, he has appeared as violin soloist and faculty member at the Rocky Mountain Summer Conservatory and for five seasons as concertmaster and solo violinist with the Wintergreen Music Festival in Virginia.  

A sought-after coach of musicians auditioning for professional symphony orchestras, Frisch gives seminars around the country addressing techniques for audition preparation. He authored the downloadable book Mastering the Orchestra Audition, the newest edition of which was published in 2017.