Nicolette Ella Fraillon is one of the world’s most esteemed ballet conductors. During her international career Maestro Fraillon has proved a brilliant and versatile exponent of both classical and contemporary ballet repertoire, conducting everything from LA SYLPHIDE, through all the Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev ballets, and choreographies by Ashton, Balanchine, Cranko, Fokine, Kylian, León & Lightfoot, MacMillan, Massine, McGregor, Neumeier, Nijinisky, Petipa, Ratmansky, Tudor and Wheeldon. After completing her Undergraduate Degree in Australia, Fraillon studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna and then in Hannover.

In 1992 Fraillon came to international attention as finalist in the Kirill Kondrashin Masterclass/Competition of the Netherlands Broadcasting Association, conducting Brahms Haydn Variations at the Concertgebouw. An invitation to work with Jiri Kylian and the Netherlands Dance Theatre in The Hague followed soon after. This led to her appointment as Music Director and Chief Conductor of the Dutch National Ballet (1994-1996) working with such renowned choreographers as Hans van Manen, Toer van Schayk, Rudi van Dantzig and Krzysztof Pastor. During her five years resident in The Netherlands, she was invited to work with many other orchestras and ballet companies including the Finnish National Ballet, Kanazawa Chamber Orchestra (Japan), Limburg Symphony Orchestra, Nieuw Sinfonietta Amsterdam, Noord Nederlands Orchestra, North Holland Philharmonic Orchestra, Residentie Orchestra and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra.

In 1998 Fraillon accepted a Professorial appointment as Director of the Conservatorium at the Australian National University, and in 2002 gave her debut performance with The Australian Ballet as guest conductor for the Sydney Opera House season of SPARTACUS. Following the resounding success of this season she was appointed Music Director and Chief Conductor for The Australian Ballet, beginning her landmark twenty-year tenure with the company, conducting thousands of performances with the company across Australia, Europe, Japan, China and North America.

From 2006-2009 Fraillon led a celebrated research project into the Ballets Russes and its impact on Australia, which included reconstruction of repertoire, international conferences, publications and films. In addition to reinvigorating the commissioning of new ballet scores by The Australian Ballet, Fraillon led the development of new choreographers for the company and oversaw the integration of Orchestra Victoria into The Australian Ballet. During this time she established two regional festivals and a chamber music series whilst expanding the reach of the Orchestra Victoria’s education programs. International guest engagements during this period included productions with Birmingham Royal Ballet, the New York City Ballet, and the San Francisco Ballet. Most recently Maestro Fraillon has worked with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Ballet for its 60^th Anniversary programme, conducting two world premieres, and the Norwegian National Ballet in a programme of works by Balanchine, and León & Lightfoot.

In 2017 Fraillon was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia by the Australian Government “for significant service to the performing arts and musical performance as a conductor, to arts education, and to women.” Fraillon is also a recipient of the Sir Bernhard Heinze Memorial award as “a testament to her unparalleled dedication, artistry, and unwavering pursuit of excellence. Her transformative interpretations, technical precision, and commitment to education have left an indelible impact on the classical music community. As she continues to inspire audiences and shape the future of the art form, Nicolette Fraillon’s legacy as a visionary conductor and mentor will undoubtedly endure for generations to come.”