In June 2020, Frank Almond concluded his 25 year role as the Concertmaster with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.
He is the founder of his own chamber music series in Milwaukee, Frankly Music, consistently recognized for innovative programming and its ability to attract leading performers from around the world, most recently including Simone Dinnerstein, the Miró Quartet, clarinetist Anthony McGill and cellist Tamás Varga.
His most recent series of recordings, A Violin’s Life, chronicles the extraordinary history and lineage of his current violin, the 1715 Lipiński Stradivarius. This instrument has direct ties to Giuseppe Tartini, Edvard Grieg, Johannes Brahms, and Robert and Clara Schumann. Volume 3 was released in July 2023.
On January 27, 2014, the “ex-Lipiński” Stradivarius was stolen from Mr. Almond in an armed robbery after a concert. The violin was recovered nine days later, and the story continues to make headlines around the world.
The robbery and recovery were the subject of a Vanity Fair article https://frankalmond.com/#stradaffair, and a documentary film, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April (2019).
Community outreach and giving back to the Milwaukee community are also at the heart of Frank Almond’s artistic priorities. He mentors young musicians of all performing levels and backgrounds, and performs in nontraditional venues where classical music has a rare and unusual presence.