Prior to her appointment at St Mary, Oatlands, Dr Jenifer Fraser served for ten years as Director of Music & Organist of the parish of Staines. Before her time in Staines, she served parishes in Thorpe (Surrey) and Norwich, as well as churches in the USA in Connecticut and the Washington, DC area. An experienced liturgical musician, Jenifer is also a free-lance organist, musicologist, teacher, and composer. She teaches piano and music theory at ACS International School, Egham, and is a member of the Royal College of Organists and the Association of British Choral Directors.

After her early training as a biochemist, Jenifer abandoned science for church music. She holds degrees from The Catholic University of America, Yale University’s Institute of Sacred Music, the University of East Anglia, and Royal Holloway University of London. Her main area of academic interest is Tudor church music. She also compiled the article on the Victorian organist, Berthold Tours, for the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. When she’s not conducting singers or playing keyboard instruments, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and wordplay. Whether you sing or play a musical instrument (or would like to learn), she encourages you to join us in making a joyful noise to the Lord.

(photo credit: Alan Gordon)