Nathaniel Fratianni

Nathaniel Fratianni is the product of a rich musical history. He holds a Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance at La Sierra University. Nathaniel has been preceded by involvement in a diverse array of musical environments. From as early as he can remember, Nathaniel was surrounded by different styles of music. Between his mother's love for classic and progressive rock, his father's importing of French and Italian pop music, and countless trips to the San Francisco Symphony with his grandparents, he's developed a variety of musical interests. At the age of eight, he started studying piano in his hometown of Santa Cruz, California, with Mrs. Kathleen Cook. He expanded to learning trumpet in the Seventh grade. When he began high school, his interest and involvement in music grew exponentially. He began to play for church praise bands. As a freshman, he joined the school's Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band, for which he would be a principal trumpet for his last two years. In his first year, he also joined the school's concert choir and the select choir, the Oceanaires. By his sophomore year, he was the pianist for both groups. His involvement in the school's music department brought him on various tours to Florida, Utah, Washington, and Hawaii. During this time, he'd also enjoy two years of playing trumpet with the Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony. In 2014, Nathaniel transitioned his piano studies under Mr. Paul Hurst, with whom he continued studying until his graduation from La Sierra University. Mr. Hurst sparked his interest in pursuing a music degree in college. That interest led him to La Sierra University, where he started his piano studies with Dr. Kimo Smith and worked with him for over two years. His continued involvement with trumpet along with piano has allowed him to play in the La Sierra University Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Big Band, and Jazz Combo. In the Wind Ensemble, he was afforded prized opportunities to play on a summer tour through Europe and perform with the group in Carnegie Hall. Nathaniel has also sought instruction under the acclaimed Dr. Elvin Rodriguez. Nathaniel's work, as well as interviewed excerpts regarding his upbringing in the Seventh Day Adventist Church have been featured in the documentary 14000 Miles (2021) by renowned documentary filmmaker Bjorn Stickle.