This session will explore selected “Action Studies” by Paul Rolland for violin, viola, cello and bass in all settings: heterogeneous or homogeneous classrooms as well as one-on-one. Demonstrations featuring students of the Illinois String Academy of the University of Illinois School of Music will show you how you can easily and effectively help your students to incorporate these movement skills into their playing.
Aaron Jacobs
- Biographical Information
For the past nineteen years, Dr. Aaron Jacobs has taught at universities, academies, music schools, and summer camps throughout Ohio, Maine, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Currently, he mentors a full studio of 30+ violinists and violists, and a staff of 15+ graduate and post-doctoral instructors through the School of Music at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), where he founded the Illinois String Academy as part of the School of Music’s public engagement offerings. At UIUC he is also Co-Director of The Paul Rolland String Pedagogy Workshop for professional musicians and teachers, and "Young Strings on the Move!" – The Paul Rolland String Camp for children ages 5-12. Aaron also created a violin program for Danville, IL school district 118, which offers violin instruction to nearly 200 first and second grade students at two elementary schools in Danville, IL. Aaron’s private students consistently win top honors and receive numerous performance awards each year, including solo concerto performances with orchestras as well as admission and scholarship offers to prestigious collegiate music institutions. As a performer, Aaron is in high demand as a soloist and chamber and orchestra musician. He has performed as concertmaster or section leader for twelve different orchestras throughout Illinois. As an active chamber and solo recitalist, Aaron has performed throughout the United States and Europe. He has also been the recipient of several honors and awards, and a prizewinner at international competitions.
Leah Sweeney holds a Bachelor of Music in cello performance from the University of Illinois where she studied with Brandon Vamos. While at the University of Illinois, Ms. Sweeney won the Thomas J. Smith Scholarship Competition and received the Illinois Club Make-A-Difference Award. Her principal chamber music teachers include members of the Pacifica Quartet, Ani Aznavoorian and Stefan Milenkovich. Leah has studied orchestral and chamber music at festivals in the United States and Europe. An active cellist, she has performed with the Illinois Symphony, Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Prairie Ensemble, Sinfonia da Camera, Heartland Festival Orchestra and Danville Symphony. A passionate music educator, Leah is professionally trained in the Suzuki Method. She was an Instructional Assistant at the Paul Rolland String Camp in 2018. Leah has more than a decade of experience of teaching cellists of all ages and levels.