Penderecki String Quartet

Simon Fryer is one of Canada's most active performers and teachers and cellist with the Penderecki String Quartet - one of the most celebrated chamber ensembles of their generation. Besides his position as Artist-in-Residence at Wilfrid Laurier University Simon teaches at the University of Toronto. Prior to joining the PSQ he spent several seasons as a member of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra but was continuously active as a chamber musician performing with a multitude of ensembles including the St. Lawrence String Quartet, Scott St. John's Sensational Six(!) and in recital with pianist Lydia Wong. He has also been known to instigate multi-cello events with presentations such as CelloDrama and CelloDrama ll: events involving music for one to twelve cellos and even a few car horns! Other notable past performances include the North American Premiere of Krzysztof Penderecki's Concerto Grosso for three cellos with the Esprit Orchestra and Canadian premieres of the Cello Concerto by Sir Arthur Sullivan and Casanova Suite for Cello and Wind Orchestra by Johan De Meij. Simon is a faculty member of the Casalmaggiore International Summer Festival in Italy and as a member of the PSQ he adds involvement in QuartetFest - the Quartet's own Festival at Wilfrid Laurier University - Indiana University String Academy and the Southern Ontario Chamber Music Institute. Simon is Artistic Director of the Women's Musical Club of Toronto - the city's longest established chamber music concert series about to celebrate its 110th anniversary.

Simon's first solo CD for Phoenix Records: Music of a life so far... , acclaimed as 'a fascinating collection' (Toronto Star) and 'ideally brewed and technically complete' (Winnipeg Free Press), presents repertoire written during the performer's lifetime. Also recorded by CBC, Centrediscs and Marquis Classics most recently Azulao - a CBC recording of music for voice and cello ensemble with soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian - won the Juno Award for best Classical Vocal Album.

Simon studied in England at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London and in Canada at the Banff Centre. He has appeared as soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player in more than thirty countries on six continents and performs on an instrument completed in 1998 by Masa Inokuchi.

Visit www.simonfryer.com for more information.