When not playing the double bass, Fred gets down to business writing A to Z indexes for computer books. After arriving in Ottawa some 30 odd years ago, Fred joined the Jewish Community Centre Orchestra then rehearsing in Lower Town. The orchestra folded a year or so later and Fred then joined the Ottawa Musica Viva Chamber Orchestra conducted by Dr. Joseph Berljawsky.After Dr. Berljawsky passed away Fred hitched his “dog house” for 20+ years to the Divertimento Orchestra under the capable baton of Gordon Slater. Gordon's favourite refrain, “Yes, practice works!” which still rings in Fred's ears. At one rehearsal, Olly Wodin, a violist, stood up and announced that her Klezmer band was looking for a double bass player. A couple of weeks later Fred gave ATOK a “test drive.” After five minutes, Debbie Shore was asking, “You're staying, aren't you Fred?” For Fred, a long time folk dancer, this was a dream come true.
Happily for both Fred and ATOK, Sol Gunner an experienced Klezmer musician and bass player dropped by and gave the new bass player a few simple pointers on how to improvise a bass part. And the rest, as they say, is history...