Frances was born in London, England where she began learning viola and piano in primary school. After moving to Melbourne as a teenager Frances continued to learn viola and piano, played in the Australian Youth Orchestra and also completed a degree in history at the University of Melbourne, followed by a Graduate Diploma of Education in instrumental music on violin and viola.
After travelling to Asia, England and Canada Frances returned to Melbourne where she studied viola at the Victorian College of the Arts, trained as a Suzuki violin teacher with Lois Shepheard, played part-time with Orchestra Victoria for opera and ballet productions and developed a Suzuki string programme at Strathcona Girls’ Grammar school in Melbourne. In her Melbourne Suzuki studio Frances taught many students of all ages and all levels from beginners through to finishing the 10 Suzuki violin books, and achieving success in VCE music. Some students continued to tertiary music studies, one has become a Suzuki violin teacher, and all enjoyed playing music as a satisfying hobby and means of personal development.
Frances is an Advanced Accredited Suzuki Teacher and also a Level 2 Kodaly music teacher. She was President of the Suzuki Music Association of Victoria from 1998 to 2001. Frances has taught at many Suzuki Festivals and international Suzuki conferences, including in Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore and Korea.
Frances collaborated with violin educator Fintan Murphy and producer Simon Veitch to produce several multimedia DVDs on violin technique (Violin Bow Technique and Violin Left Hand). Simon Veitch and Frances are partners in Twofold Media which produced and published these educational videos, which are now available online. www.violinbowtechnique.com
Frances moved to Castlemaine from Melbourne in 2011, began the Castlemaine Suzuki Violin Studio, and joined the music staff at Castlemaine Secondary College where she taught violin, viola and orchestra until 2017.
Frances plays violin and viola with Castlemaine Chamber Players who present regional string ensemble concerts.