Luke Frazier is a conductor, music director and pianist who believes that the future of music depends on breaking down barriers between musicians and audiences. His philosophy is that the most important priority for a modern conductor is not only musical excellence, but also to create diverse and engaging programming that brings communities together through the joy of music.  Luke believes that conductors are the bridge between the audience and the orchestra and what he programs and how it relates to the listeners, is the heartbeat of what keeps orchestral programming alive.

Luke began as Principal Pops Conductor with Symphony of the Americas in the 2024-2025 season, and most recently, beginning in the 2025-2026 season, Frazier will take over as Artistic and Music Director. 

In 2015, Frazier started the American Pops Orchestra (APO) to present a broad array of popular and classical music in innovative ways to bring new audiences into the orchestral world. APO has been featured in thirty national broadcasts on PBS with programs ranging in genre from classical to country, jazz to musical theatre. Artists like Renée Fleming, Patti LaBelle, Ariana DeBose, Joshua Bell, Josh Groban and so many more have joined the orchestra, sharing orchestral music with an audience of over sixty million viewers across the country, completely free of charge. 

Creating opportunities for the next generation of music makers and music lovers is always a priority for Luke.  Each year, Luke participates in tours to underserved elementary schools for free, and through monthly virtual streaming, has reached over 600k students across all 50 states. Luke is also passionate about finding outstanding college musicians-and providing meaningful paid experiences. He founded the Annual NextGen Vocal Competition, hosted annually by Lincoln Center, where winners earn cash prizes and career-boosting performance experiences.  In partnership with the historic Winterthur Estate, Luke established the Ruth Wales DuPont Composition Competition for collegiate composers in both classical and popular music, providing coaching, cash prizes and professional recordings of finalists works. In honor of NATO’s 75th Anniversary, Luke founded the NATO Symphony Orchestra comprised of college musicians from all 32 NATO Countries who performed together at the Library of Congress for dignitaries both domestic and international. In partnership with the Hispanic Heritage foundation Luke provides performance opportunities for collegiate musicians in the nationally televised Hispanic Heritage Awards. 

In addition to his work with Symphony of the Americas, APO and PBS, he maintains a busy schedule as a guest conductor and pianist. Luke is conducting an expanded concert series at Lincoln Center this coming season and he is the Artistic Director of Nouveau Productions. He appears regularly in venues from Lincoln Center to The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall to the Grammy Museum and has performed in such iconic American venues as Independence Hall, George Washington’s Mt. Vernon, the Supreme Court and The White House. Luke is proud to represent the United States of America with APO, which was designated an official Arts Envoy for the United States Department of State in 2023.

To learn more about Luke, please visit www.lukefraziermusic.com and follow him on Instagram at @lukefraziermusic