Jacob Rhodebeck was born on May 12, 1985, in New York City. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his mother being a pianist and his father a cellist. Rhodebeck showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of four. He later picked up the violin and the cello, and by the age of ten, he was already performing in public. Rhodebeck's talent was recognized early on, and he was accepted into the Juilliard School's Pre-College Division at the age of twelve. He studied with renowned teachers such as Itzhak Perlman and Dorothy DeLay, and by the time he graduated from the program, he had already won several competitions and performed in major venues such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. After completing his studies at Juilliard, Rhodebeck went on to attend the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where he studied with Robert McDuffie and Peter Wiley. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 2007 and continued his studies at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where he earned a Master of Music degree in 2009. Rhodebeck's career as a professional musician began while he was still a student at Curtis. He won the Philadelphia Orchestra's Greenfield Competition in 2006, which led to his debut with the orchestra the following year. He also won the Astral Artists National Auditions in 2007, which helped to launch his career as a soloist. Rhodebeck has since performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Berlin Philharmonic. He has also collaborated with many of the world's most renowned conductors, including James Levine, Simon Rattle, and Riccardo Muti. In addition to his work as a soloist, Rhodebeck is also an active chamber musician. He has performed with many of the world's leading chamber ensembles, including the Emerson String Quartet, the Guarneri Quartet, and the Tokyo String Quartet. He is also a founding member of the Rhodebeck-Wilson Duo, which he formed with pianist Sarah Wilson in 2010. Rhodebeck's repertoire is wide-ranging, and he is equally at home performing works from the classical, romantic, and contemporary periods. He has premiered many new works by contemporary composers, including John Adams, Jennifer Higdon, and Kaija Saariaho. Rhodebeck has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career. In addition to the Greenfield Competition and the Astral Artists National Auditions, he has won the Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship, and the Gilmore Young Artist Award. He was also named a MacArthur Fellow in 2015, which is one of the most prestigious awards in the arts. Rhodebeck is known for his virtuosic playing, his musical sensitivity, and his ability to connect with audiences. He is a passionate advocate for classical music and is committed to bringing it to new audiences. He has given masterclasses and workshops at many universities and conservatories around the world and is a frequent guest on radio and television programs. In addition to his performing career, Rhodebeck is also a dedicated teacher. He has taught at the New England Conservatory of Music, the Juilliard School, and the Curtis Institute of Music. He is currently on the faculty of the Yale School of Music, where he teaches violin and chamber music.

More....