Fredell Lack was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the oldest of three children of Jewish Eastern European (Latvian) immigrants, Abram I.
At 12, Lack was accepted into the New York City studio of the legendary violinist and pedagogue Louis Persinger, whose other students included such artists as Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern, and Ruggiero Ricci.
Fredell Lack had a long-lasting career during which she made dozens of concert tours worldwide, including more than twenty to Europe alone.
Lack made her New York recital debut in 1943 at The Town Hall, performing concertos by Vivaldi and Dvořák, a sonata by Dohnányi, and pieces by Shostakovich, Poulenc, Ysaÿe, and Wieniawski.
She commenced artistic study with Ivan Galamian, widely regarded among violinists as the greatest pedagogical influence of the latter half of the twentieth century.
She performed frequently in master classes with the Romanian violinist George Enescu, and often traveled to Boston to play new works for the composition studio of Nadia Boulanger.
That year, Lack began performing solos weekly that were broadcast to a national audience over the Mutual radio network.
Despite the fact that both American finalists were given scores of 0 by the Soviet judge in the final round, Fredell Lack came away with a bronze medal and the Prize of Liège.
A great many of her students have gone on to musical careers as professional performers and teachers, and a number have become successful solo concert artists.
Brett Deubner, David Mazzeo, Pálína Árnadóttir, Joyce Hammann, Mariko Inaba, Anabel Ramirez, Gloria Justen, Sharman Plesner, William Pu, Gregory Ewer, Beverly Shin, Maurice Sklar, Martin Valdeschack, Chuong Vu, and Zuo Jun are among other Lack students who have had successful concert careers.