A Career Summary
Zack’s violinistic journey began at aged 10 with Hampshire Music Service and he was quickly recognised to have outstanding potential, resulting in a Hampshire Music Hub Scholar Award. By the time he was 16 an additional scholarship had been awarded to study Music at Queen Mary’s College, Basingstoke. It was then he began private studies with Finnish Concert Violinist Frida Backman, alongside numerous supporting lessons with both Guildhall School of Music Professor Simon Fischer and Violinist Nikki Rodgers. Around this time he also achieved a distinction mark of 98% in his final Grade 8 violin practical examination.
As a student at Queen Mary’s, Zack set about creating a lasting impact on the Music Department by setting up a String Orchestra, running numerous chamber music projects, as well as lecturing performance classes and seminars. All achieved on top of a full academic timetable. Because of these efforts he was awarded an Outstanding Contribution Award by the principal and was subsequently invited to become an honorary member of staff, taking up the role of Musician in Residence. Here he taught both performance and academic studies on the A level music course.
During this time, Zack auditioned successfully for a number of the UK's leading music colleges and accepted an offer to study Violin Performance at The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with an Excellence Scholarship. This is where he obtained a BMus (Hons) degree under the tutelage of Head of Violin Nathaniel Vallois and Manchester Camerata Concertmaster Caroline Pether. Whilst here he also had periods of study with Suzanne Stanzeleit, Jiafeng Chen, and Baroque violinist Lucy Russell.
Whilst in Birmingham, Zack took several modules in Advanced Pedagogy and teaching, whilst also dedicating significant amounts of time to the researching of Pedagogical Methods. It was due to this commitment that he was recommended by Adam Whittaker to teach and observe at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Junior Department. Here he assisted Head of Chamber Music Jean Gubbins, and Violin Professor Sam Mason. Zack was also offered a post on the ARCO Project by Dr Louise Lansdown where he taught an advanced online violin class at the Chennai Conservatoire. Alongside his teaching practices here, Zack also engaged in extensive research into Recordings, Musical History, Composition, Harmonic Practices, and Theoretical analysis.
Zack has active role as a performing musician, regularly giving concerts and recitals as a soloist. Recent performances have included repertoire such as: Bach’s Chaconne, Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, Bartók’s 2nd Violin Concerto, and Shostakovich’s 1st Violin Concerto. He has also had the privilege to work closely with Heifetz’s esteemed pupil and recital pianist Ayke Agus. Additionally Zack played in masterclasses for famous figures such as: Soloist Tamsin Waley Cohen, Deputy RNCM Strings Head Catherine Yates, International Chair in Violin Oliver Willie, and Leader of the prestigious Škampa Quartet Pavel Fischer.
He is also an experienced ensemble musician, having played great deal of the standard orchestral repertoire. Highlights include playing leading roles for the CBSO Academy and Youth Orchestras, side by side schemes with the Welsh National Opera, Orchestra of the Swan, and Birmingham Royal Ballet, as well as performances for numerous high profile Conservatoire Orchestral projects. These included several concerts which have been broadcast on both BBC Radio and Classic FM. His experience was augmented yet further by regular individual coaching from renowned ESO Concertmaster Zoë Beyers, specialising in auditions, ensemble playing, and excerpt preparation.
Chamber Music is an area which Zack has made a large part of his career, specialising in the performance of piano based string repertoire. Alongside frequent one off collaborations, he regularly plays both with the Castagnino Piano Duo and the Félicité Piano Trio.
Félicité in particular has performed to great critical acclaim, with the most recent highlight being invited to perform Shostakovich’s 2nd Piano Trio at The International Cadenza Chamber Music Festival in London with huge success. Zack is also frequently asked to deputise for other ensembles, most recently resulting in a series of concerts performing the complete Beethoven cycle of Quartets.
During his time at the Conservatoire, Zack also received regular specialist chamber music coaching with the Violist of the Lindsay Quartet Robin Ireland, Head of Piano John Thwaites, and Professor of Cello Matthew Sharp. Alongside this he also took part in masterclasses from groups such as The Schubert Ensemble, The Castalian Quartet, The Heath Quartet, The Barbican Piano Trio, and The London Bridge Piano Trio.
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Currently Zack has a highly varied teaching career, giving masterclasses and workshops, teaching his own private classes, and also teaching on the faculty of Queen Mary's College as professor of violin, music theory, and composition. He also has found in recent times found much enjoyment in choral conducting and is the principal conductor and director of two of Hampshire's most beloved choirs: the Andover Museum Loftsingers and the Winchester Community Choir. He has also founded and directs the QMC Vocal Consort. Zack takes great pride in leading these groups and often composes his own works and arrangements to showcase their unique qualities.
