RAHWAY, NJ — Ian Fraser recently entertained an audience of 30 at Rahway Senior Center, playing the Wurlitzer pipe organ. Songs included “Love of My Life” by Queen and “Beyond the Sea” by Bobby Darin. And the audience loved it. “He was excellent!” said Thelma Curry, of Rahway.
Fraser’s interest in old music sparked when he was just 2 years old. He was fascinated by the band organ on the carousel. Then, at 16, he watched a high school film that featured an organ. From there, he was self-taught.
The Plainfield resident would come to the Rahway Senior Center to practice on their pipe organ. But at home, he practices digitally. The difference, he says, is that there’s an acoustic delay on a real organ.
Fraser is a member of the Garden State Theatre Organ Society, which is headquartered at the Rahway Senior Center. He’s a regular performer at the St. George Theatre in Staten Island, N.Y. For the past five years, he’s been providing pre-show music on the restored Allen Organ for St. George’s monthly classic film showing. He also composes his own themes for the silent movies that are shown at Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway. He’s performed there many times. He also travels across the country full time performing and will be going back on tour this winter. “Something about it, I love to do it,” he said.
He’s also one of the youngest members of both Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors’ Association and the Carousel Organ Association of America. In 2023, he won the Young Theatre Organist Competition.
Paul Citti, of Jersey City, is a colleague of Fraser, who has known him for a few years. “He’s an amazing talent for his age,” said Citti. “There is sensitivity in his performance. He plays with feeling. His playing is flawless. He’s a humble young man.”
Fraser’s mother, Jill Fraser, said, “He was always into music. He always just loved it.”
His father, John Fraser, said, “It’s wonderful. He always had a gift for music. It wows me every day.”
During his spare time, Fraser works on mechanical instruments, goes to organ concerts and attends musical theater.
On Thursday, Oct. 17, Fraser will be presenting organ accompaniment to the 1927 classic film “Metropolis,” at Union County Performing Arts Center, on their “Biggest Little Wurlitzer.” There will be themed cocktails, free popcorn and other surprises.
Fraser currently has a website in the works, but in the meantime, you can follow him on his Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/ianfraserorganist or watch him perform on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@ianfraserorganist.
Photos by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta