Music Conservatory of Westchester • Faculty

Fred Draper was born in Kewanee, Illinois. His musical career began at age 14 when he formed a rock-and-roll band, “Fred and the Fenders”. In the late 1960’s, he entered the San Francisco Conservatory of Music to pursue serious training in the classical guitar. While still a Conservatory student, he was named Associate Teacher to his own teacher, José Rey de la Torre, at the Music and Arts Institute.

Fred was fortunate to participate in Andrés Segovia’s 1966 North Carolina master class. Past performance highlights include critically acclaimed Carnegie Recital Hall concerts in 1976, 1978, and 1981. He continues to give concerts in the Segovia tradition. He has recorded two CD’s: A Frederick Draper Recital, and Romance.

Fred teaches in his private studio and joined the Music Conservatory faculty in 2005. In his teaching, he has two basic precepts. The first is that young people know what they like but don’t always know what they could like, if given the chance. "I started out as part owner of a coffee house, exploring rock, jazz, and folk, so I think I can understand what attracts students to music. Initially, I work with my students on what’s familiar and enjoyable to them. I introduce them to the classical form a little later." Second, Fred feels that to keep the spirit of music alive in each person, we must “give that music away” to another person. "I ask students to think about the person(s) with whom they want to share the piece they’re studying. This form of musically "paying it forward" gives perspective to all study."

Photo/Pinsky Studio

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Conservatory faculty are all highly skilled and experienced teachers. Teachers are assigned to maximize the learning experience of each student taking into account the students musical interests and goals, age and scheduling needs.

"I am very happy and proud of Jun Luke Foster’s and Benjamin Boventer’s achievements. I taught Jun Luke for 12 years and his acceptance to Juilliard School of Music is a great sign of his musical maturity and accomplishment. He was also accepted to Harvard and Yale. Benjamin was with me for five years. He won a prestigious $40,000 scholarship from Skidmore College for music studies. He was the only pianist in that competition who received this award. He was also accepted at Tufts University. It is very satisfying to know that our students continue to achieve such success." —Svetlana Gorokovich, MCW Faculty

Conservatory faculty are all highly skilled and experienced teachers. Teachers are assigned to maximize the learning experience of each student taking into account the students musical interests and goals, age and scheduling needs.

"I am very happy and proud of Jun Luke Foster’s and Benjamin Boventer’s achievements. I taught
Jun Luke for 12 years and his acceptance to Juilliard School of Music is a great sign of his musical maturity and accomplishment. He was also accepted to Harvard and Yale. Benjamin was with me for five years. He won a prestigious $40,000 scholarship from Skidmore College for music studies. He was the only pianist in that competition who received this award. He was also accepted at Tufts University. It is very satisfying to know that our students continue to achieve such success."
—Svetlana Gorokovich, MCW Faculty

Frederick Draper | Guitar

Music Conservatory of Westchester • 216 Central Avenue, White Plains, NY 10606
914.761.3900 • info@musiced.org

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