Lorraine Fink

Lorraine Julie (Friedrichsen) Fink, age 90, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 27, 2022 at Elizabeth House Hospice in Hendersonville, NC. She was born on September 1, 1931, in Oakland, CA, to Edgar and Clara (Clausen) Friedrichsen.

After moving to Brevard from Los Angeles in 2011, she played violin with the Brevard Philharmonic, the Unitarian Universalist Church "The Eclectics" music group, and the vespers service and other events at College Walk Retirement Community. She also enjoyed volunteering at the Brevard Music Center.

Lorraine was a graduate of San Francisco State University (BM) and the University of West Virginia (MM). She also attended Juilliard, Music Academy of the West, and the San Francisco Conservatory. Beginning her professional career as a violinist in the Oklahoma City Symphony, Lorraine had a long and successful career as a violin teacher, pedagogue, author, and publisher.

Specializing in the Suzuki approach since her initial training under Shinichi Suzuki—Project SUPER—Eastman School of Music, 1966, Lorraine was a Suzuki Association of the Americas (SAA) teacher trainer and taught at many institutes and workshops in the US and abroad. She served as secretary of the SAA board, editor of the SAA Journal, president of the Los Angeles branch (SMAC/LA), received the SAA distinguished service award, and was Suzuki String Coordinator at The Colburn School of Performing Arts in Los Angeles. She was also Ohio President of the American String Teachers Association (ASTA), and editor of the national ASTA journal.

Lorraine was cofounder of Ability Development publishing company where she was managing editor of Suzuki World magazine. Her publications include the Quick Steps to Note Reading series for violin, viola, and cello, and A Parents Guide to String Instrument Study, plus several string orchestra arrangements of popular violin solos.

Lorraine is predeceased by her former husband Reginald H. Fink. She is survived by her children, Carl (Kim) Fink of Rochester, NY, Kristine (John) Candler of Brevard, NC; granddaughters Allison Fink, Lindsay Fink, Jenna Wood  (Erick), Madeline Medford (Brody), Kaitlin McCreery; and great-grandchildren Gordon Wood, Siena and Juliette Medford.

A Memorial Service will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Brevard, NC, on Saturday, February 19 at 11:00 am. The family will receive guests beginning at 10:00 am.

Teaching and playing music was her life's work and passion, and she had a love of all animals. If you wish to donate in her memory, please contact the Suzuki Association of the Americas (suzukiassociation.org), the Brevard Philharmonic (brevardphilharmonic.org), the Transylvania Animal Shelter (transylvaniacounty.org) or an animal shelter of your choice.