Nicolette Ella Fraillon AM (born 29 July 1960) is an Australian conductor, who was chief conductor of The Australian Ballet from 2003 until 2022.
Fraillon grew up in Melbourne, a child of immigrant parents of French Huguenot, Sicilian and Austrian Jewish descent. Her family is musical: both grandfathers were cellists, and her great-uncle Guillaume was principal double bass player with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. [1]
She started violin and piano studies as a child; her teachers included Brian Buggy (violin) and Ada Corder (piano). [1] [2] She played with the Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Youth Orchestra for some time. [3]
As an adult she studied viola under Chris Martin at the University of Melbourne. She studied conducting at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna, Austria, from 1984, and later in Hanover, Germany. [4] Her professional conducting debut was with the Nederlands Dans Theater, when she deputised for another conductor who had fallen ill. [2] In the Netherlands, she also worked on a production of Les Misérables, both playing viola in the orchestra and working as second conductor. [2] [3] Later she was appointed music director and chief conductor of the Dutch National Ballet. [5]
In 1995 she was engaged by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, becoming the first Australian woman to conduct an Australian symphony orchestra. She later conducted the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. [4]
In October 1997 Fraillon was appointed director of the Canberra School of Music, effective from June 1998. [3] In 1998 she commenced at the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. In 2003 she was appointed chief conductor of The Australian Ballet. [4] [5] She was their first woman conductor, and, in 2016, the world's only woman music director of a ballet company. [6] In November 2021, Fraillon announced that she would leave that position in 2022. [7] In 2023, she was awarded the Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award. [8]
Fraillon has been married three times, [3] [9] and has two sons. [1] She is married to soprano Deborah Cheetham Fraillon since January 2023. [10]
Nicolette Ella Fraillon AM (born 29 July 1960) is an Australian conductor, who was chief conductor of The Australian Ballet from 2003 until 2022.
Fraillon grew up in Melbourne, a child of immigrant parents of French Huguenot, Sicilian and Austrian Jewish descent. Her family is musical: both grandfathers were cellists, and her great-uncle Guillaume was principal double bass player with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. [1]
She started violin and piano studies as a child; her teachers included Brian Buggy (violin) and Ada Corder (piano). [1] [2] She played with the Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Youth Orchestra for some time. [3]
As an adult she studied viola under Chris Martin at the University of Melbourne. She studied conducting at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna, Austria, from 1984, and later in Hanover, Germany. [4] Her professional conducting debut was with the Nederlands Dans Theater, when she deputised for another conductor who had fallen ill. [2] In the Netherlands, she also worked on a production of Les Misérables, both playing viola in the orchestra and working as second conductor. [2] [3] Later she was appointed music director and chief conductor of the Dutch National Ballet. [5]
In 1995 she was engaged by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, becoming the first Australian woman to conduct an Australian symphony orchestra. She later conducted the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. [4]
In October 1997 Fraillon was appointed director of the Canberra School of Music, effective from June 1998. [3] In 1998 she commenced at the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. In 2003 she was appointed chief conductor of The Australian Ballet. [4] [5] She was their first woman conductor, and, in 2016, the world's only woman music director of a ballet company. [6] In November 2021, Fraillon announced that she would leave that position in 2022. [7] In 2023, she was awarded the Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award. [8]
Fraillon has been married three times, [3] [9] and has two sons. [1] She is married to soprano Deborah Cheetham Fraillon since January 2023. [10]