Educational Programs
for SMall and Mid-size groupsLooking for thoughtful musical mentorship outside traditional lessons?
2024 sectional with Yakima Music en Acción
Based in Central Florida and a frequent traveler along the East Coast, Ilana Zaks offers chamber music, orchestra sectional, and ensemble coaching for advanced students, independent ensembles, and teacher-organized groups as well as school orchestras and other musical organizations.
Ilana is known for her clarity, warmth, and deep musical insight. She tailors each session to the specific needs of the players—whether preparing for a competition or recital, looking for guidance on musical interpretation or ensemble cohesion, or just looking to grow as a group.
Whether you’re based in a school, private studio, or home setup, Ilana can come to you. Try a coaching session and discover the power of thoughtful, outside guidance!
What people are saying
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“She [Ilana] coached several of my students on pieces including Tchaikovsky's Concerto, Wieniawski Concerto, and Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen. Her comments were direct and helpful. She delivered the comments in a positive way that put my students at ease. All of my students enjoyed her expertise and learned from her teaching.”
— Cecilia Buss: Seattle Symphony/Opera and Buss Violin Studio
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“We deeply appreciate the effort and care Ilana has put into supporting her groups and helping set them up for success—it means so much to us and the students.”
— Gabriela Garza; Executive Director; Seattle Conservatory of Music
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"Ilana recently gave masterclasses to seven of my students. They performed repertoire ranging from Suzuki Book 5 to the Bruch Violin Concerto. She was very adept at finding the technical and musical tools that would best help them. She was kind and encouraging and took a genuine interest in each student. She inspired us all by demonstrating on her instrument when appropriate. The student who played the Bruch came up to me afterward and said that it was one of the best masterclasses he had participated in. I was able to follow up on her ideas over the course of the following month because they were so clear and appropriate."
— Tracy Helming, Momentum Music School
Current & Upcoming Classes
Starting this fall, Ilana will be teaching at the Rollins College Community School of Music in Central Florida. She also serves on the faculty at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute.
Group Classes & Workshops
From chamber music and storytelling to creative career building, these workshops invite students into the full, vibrant world of music-making. Each session is rooted in real-world experience and designed to spark imagination.
Sample Topics
Collaboration: Behind the Scenes. Violin & multimedia presentation focusing on a brief history of multidisciplinary collaboration, and the step by step process of creating collaborations across a variety of artistic disciplines and beyond. The program encourages students to discover the contributions of their own creativity to the developments of the violin and the overall music landscape. Each program receives a customized study guide presenting topics including basic concepts of music, collaborations, and ways for students to get engaged their own projects.
Solo Violin: History and Today. A survey of solo violin music and the developments of the violin as a solo instrument through a presentation combined with performance and discussion of the historical background of the music. The relevance of the basis in harmony, variation, rhythm and form is drawn to connect the dots to today's popular music. The music comes alive as participants sing and clap out rhythms alongside a diverse lineup of music of Bach, Paganini, Piazzolla, Lauren Bernofsky, Coleridge Taylor Perkinson and more.
Creative Career Building in the Arts. Q&A style presentation where student scan ask questions about artistic experiences from a fourth generation violinist, ranging from orchestral, solo, chamber music performing, teaching, recording, multidisciplinary collaboration, film directing/producing and more!
Looking for more personalized guidance?
Private violin and viola lessons are available for students at advanced beginner level and up, with a focus on technique, musicality, and individual growth.
