About

A woman in a black dress holding a saxophone standing on a dock by the water with white building structures in the background, under a bright sky.

Tessa Frazer achieved a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours in Classical Performance (Saxophone) at Te Kōkī - New Zealand School of Music, concurrently completing a Bachelor of Science in Physics at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. She is currently studying towards a Master of Music at Codarts University of the Arts under renowned saxophonist Femke IJlstra.

In New Zealand, Tessa has performed professionally with all major orchestras, including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, and Orchestra Wellington. She has extensive experience in wind ensembles and works professionally as a Leading Aircraftman in the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band as a member of the saxophone section, a position she continues to hold. She has appeared as a soloist with ensembles including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Royal New Zealand Air Force Band, and Nelson Symphony Orchestra.

Since moving to the Netherlands, Tessa has performed extensively throughout Europe, appearing in more than 50 performances across the continent. She has been a member of the Ricciotti Ensemble, performed with the Codarts Wind Band and the Royal Netherlands Marine Band, and has been accepted into the European Union Youth Wind Orchestra for 2026. As a member of a saxophone trio, saxophone quartet, and saxophone octet, she has performed in major Dutch concert venues including the Concertgebouw, De Doelen, and TivoliVredenburg.

Biography

A woman in a black dress and sandals sitting on rocks by the ocean, holding a saxophone, with hills and a partly cloudy sky in the background.

Career Highlights

  • A group of musicians in uniform, some standing and some sitting, are performing on stage at a concert hall. The musicians are clapping and smiling, while one person is playing a saxophone. The audience is visible in the foreground.

    World Premiere of Camryn Nel's Concert for Saxophone with the Royal New Zealand Air Force Band

  • Orchestra members on stage after a performance at the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, clapping and smiling, with musical instruments including drums, cymbals, and a vibraphone visible.

    World Premiere of Anthony Ritchie's Symphony No. 6 with Dunedin Symphony Orchestra

  • Orchestra members standing and seated on stage with musical instruments, wearing black formal attire, in a concert hall with wooden paneling.

    Tenor Saxophone for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's performances of Rhapsody in Blue

  • Four people standing in a room with two potted plants, holding saxophones, and smiling at each other.

    Emerald Saxophone Quartet

  • Black and white image of an orchestra performing on stage, with conductor interacting with musicians and various instruments visible.

    Soloist for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra performing Jacob Barrett's Countdown to Midnight at Carnaval

  • Group of uniformed military musicians standing in formation, holding musical instruments, in front of a stone wall.

    Royal New Zealand Air Force Band at Parliament

  • Orchestra standing on stage after a performance in an ornate concert hall, with audience members applauding.

    Codarts Saxophone Ensemble at Het Concertgebouw

  • A group of five musicians dressed in formal black attire with white shirts, some with bow ties, pose with their musical instruments in a concert hall. The setting includes an organ in the background and chairs for the orchestra. There is a screen displaying text about the wind band.

    Royal Netherlands Marine Band x Codarts Wind Band at De Doelen

  • Group of people standing at the front of a church or chapel, some clapping, with a woman in a floral dress holding a saxophone. The interior features ornate wooden architecture and a religious altar.

    Tessa Frazer & Friends fundraising concert

  • Two people holding saxophones during a musical performance or rehearsal, standing near a window and a wooden wall.

    Masterclass with Nobuya Sugawa

  • Two young adults are playing saxophones together in an indoor space, possibly a transit station, with a glass and metal ceiling overhead and a staircase with an escalator in the background.

    Ricciotti Ensemble Klankbos Tour

  • A nighttime outdoor concert with a band performing on a stage illuminated by colorful purple and blue lights. Audience members are visible in the foreground, some wearing bright clothing, and a building with windows and shutters is in the background.

    Ricciotti Ensemble Per Tutti Tour