About

Besides being an award winning composer and free jazz improviser,  taking the advise of  Carl
Flesch's books,  Dr. Philip Fried has dedicated his life to teaching music to beginners for over 30 years. Dr. Philip Fried has directed 100's of performances, besides composing and arranging, and dedicated himself to teaching music in the public schools.

Phil's most recent activity includes:  Performing as a bass player at the Walker Arts center with George Lewis,  A Murmur in the Trees with  Eve Beglarian,  collaboration with Chicago playwright Ruth Margraff  on a one act opera setting of her play Locket Arias, previewed and premiered at Nautilus Music Theater in December 2014 and April 2015, St. Paul, MN; Honors March for Orchestra a commission for The St. Paul Public Schools Honors  centennial in May 2016; The Four Muses, four
movement symphony completed in March 2016.

Other collaborations of free improvisation on string bass compositions include: Improvisanddo with Maja Radovanlija and Michelle Kinney, Minneapolis; Rosy Simas Dance, as part of The Pangea Theater production of Heid Erdrich's Artifact Traffic in collaboration with Intermedia Arts, Minneapolis, MN; Mathew Janczewski's Arena Dances commission through the Live Music for Dance Minnesota, sponsored by the American Composers Forum funded by the McKnight Foundation, and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Heid E. Erdrich Pilot Car ensemble, Minnesota

Phil Fried was a McKnight Foundation Fellowship Artist in 2008-09.  Commissions include: A Centennial Commission from the Minnesota Orchestra for Episodes in 2006, a work for the new music ensemble Zeitgeist's 30th Anniversary concert and Innova label recording.  One of his recent piano works, I remember the 60's..or was it the 70's?, is also featured on an Innova  release, "Melville's Dozen" with pianist Nikki Melville.  Phil has had performances and residencies with The Minnesota Orchestra, The Camargo Foundation, The Tanglewood Music Festival, The Festival at Sandpoint, June in Buffalo, Music of Our Time, and Centre Acanthes, Avignon France. As a Jazz musician, Mr. Fried was a founding member of the New York Artists Collective, and Ray Nance.  Mr. Fried comes from a noted musical family.  His father, Louis Fried, was an original cast member in several Broadway shows including Brigadoon and Carousel, and his cousin was the noted composer, Isadore Freed. Second to music is Dr. Fried's passionate interest in literature. He has written several texts and librettos including the texts for his operas, The Dungeon of Esmeralda, and an adaptation of Hemingway's short story, “The Snows of Kilimanjaro.”   Phil completed his musical studies at the University of Chicago receiving his PhD in Music Composition in 1985.