Violinist, Improvisor, Educator
The lush textures and vibrant scenery of his upbringing in the Pacific Northwest continue to inspire Jacob’s colorful improvisations. On Whidbey Island, Washington, and in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, he worked with caring teachers to learn classical violin by ear before learning how to read music. The supportive environment of his school music program and youth orchestra opened his eyes to the creative possibilities in music, and he joined the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music to pursue a Bachelor's degree in music. He became interested in jazz after visiting local jazz venues with friends and improvising in practice rooms with students studying jazz. Drawn to the union of collective and individual expression in jazz, he changed his major to jazz studies and designed much of his own curriculum.
At Lamont Jacob studied with jazz pianist and composer Annie Booth while continuing classical lessons with violinist Igor Pikayzen. He composed and performed Olympic Gardens, a three-movement work for string quartet and jazz rhythm section, and performed in a feature with the Lamont Jazz Orchestra led by saxophonist and composer Remy LeBoeuf. He performed in an R&B set at the Denver jazz club Dazzle and played with folk band Alright Alright while continuing his involvement in the classical world, subbing in regional orchestras and serving as assistant concertmaster in the Lamont Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his completion of the B.M. in Jazz Studies and Commercial Music, he played in classical and jazz chamber groups while taking jazz theory, improvisation, and composition courses.
Eager to continue immersing himself in jazz, Jacob completed his Master’s degree in jazz at the University of North Texas in 2026, where he studied with jazz violinist Scott Tixier and participated in masterclasses led by Terell Stafford, Vincent Courtois, and Darol Anger. He developed his improvisational abilities by listening to those he particularly admired: Wayne Shorter, Lee Morgan, Herbie Hancock, and the world-class faculty and students surrounding him. In addition to playing with jazz combos at the Denton Arts and Jazz Festival and recording in studio settings, he performed throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area with jazz, chamber, and R&B groups.
Jacob's experience in education includes teaching students ages 4-15 at Flower Mound Music Academy for two years, and he continues to integrate classical and jazz approaches as a teacher with In Home Music Teachers. In Denver he taught in-home lessons, took Suzuki pedagogy classes, and worked as a substitute teacher for group classes at Primavera Place. At UNT he studied the musical philosophy of Ornette Coleman called “Harmolodics” and explained how it could contribute to inclusive jazz pedagogy. He further honed his teaching philosophy in his Pedagogy of Jazz and Introduction to Research in Jazz Studies courses, and he performed at the 2026 Jazz Education Network Conference with the Jazz Strings and Fiddle Society of Texas featuring Vincent Herring to promote jazz and improvisation education in the strings community. He continues his journey in Denver, where he is building a violin studio that emphasizes improvisation and community connections.
