Frederic Hand was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1947 and is a graduate of the Mannes College of Music. Fred was a Fulbright Scholar to England, and a student of Julian Bream. As a soloist he has toured North America and Europe, and has given masterclasses at the New England Conservatory, Yale University, and Dartmouth College, among others. He has been a guest artist with numerous orchestras and ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, the Mostly Mozart Festival, and the Marlboro Music Festival. In 1986 Fred was appointed guitarist and lutenist with the Metropolitan Opera. He performed and arranged the theme from the Academy Award-winning film Kramer vs. Kramer, and his television scores include and Emmy Award for The Guiding Light. He is the director of the guitar program at the State University of New York at Purchase and also serves on the faculties of the Mannes College of Music and Bennington College. Fred lives in upstate New York with his wife, Lesley.