2025 Live Adjudicators

Sarah Fraser Raff

Upper Strings - Level 10

Sarah Fraser Raff

Sarah is the recipient of the 2024 Member of the Year Award (TMA 149) and a JUNO-nominated violinist and educator. She is a founding member of the Madawaska String Quartet (est. 2001) and a violinist with CONTAQT New Music. A passionate educator, she is on faculty at the Royal Conservatory of Music and the Taylor Academy. Her students have been accepted into the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, Interlochen, university music programs, and have received Gold Medals in Royal Conservatory examinations. In 2021, she was appointed to the RCM College of Examiners.

Her chamber collaborations have included Adrianne Pieczonka, Measha Brueggergosman, Jan Lisiecki, and James Campbell. She has performed at Festival of the Sound, Ottawa Chamberfest, and 21C at Koerner Hall, and International appearances include the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (UK), Bang on a Can, MoMA, and Mass MoCA (USA), as well as Festival Ibero Americano (Puerto Rico).

Sarah received her training in Japan under Koichiro Harada of the Tokyo String Quartet at the Toho Gakuen School of Music. She later earned a Master's degree from the University of Toronto and an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School. Her discography includes the JUNO-winning Bestiary I & II by Bekah Simms.

As a freelance violinist, Sarah has performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company, National Ballet of Canada, Esprit Orchestra, and The Lion King musical.