Oberlin Conservatory

Jennifer Koh performs “Assembly” from Vijay Iyer’s Trouble for Violin and Chamber Orchestra Cedille is excited to release an exclusive YouTube single of the si...

We’re thrilled to welcome three-time Grammy-winning violinist and composer Zach Brock to the Oberlin Conservatory faculty as associate professor of multi-genre performance and improvisation, beginning in fall 2026.

Known for his work with Snarky Puppy and hailed by critics as “the preeminent improvising violinist of his generation,” Brock brings a background that spans chamber music, orchestral writing, jazz, electronic music, and pop. He will continue his international performing career while helping Oberlin students deepen their artistry, versatility, and improvisational voice across genres.

Read more about his appointment: https://www.oberlin.edu/news/grammy-winning-artist-zach-brock-joins-oberlin-conservatory

The Oberlin community joins the jazz world in mourning the loss of Sonny Rollins, who died on May 25, 2026, at age 95. A towering artist and generous friend to Oberlin, Rollins helped shape the lives of our students through the Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble Fund and through his belief that “life is about giving, not taking.” Today, that spirit lives on in the ensemble that bears his name and in the students he hoped would “shed light wherever they go.”

Read more about Sonny Rollins and his connections to Oberlin here: https://www.oberlin.edu/news/rollins-riffs
PC: John Abbott