Jeremy Woolstenhulme

Session 1.2: Back to the Basics: Teach and Re-teach

Session 1.5: Ideas for Teaching Group Vibrato in the String Classroom

Session 2.3: Building Rhythm Accuracy in the Orchestra

Session 1.2 (Back to Basics): Reinforcement is the name of the game, no matter the advancement level of your string students. Oftentimes, it means reteaching the same concepts over and over. Mr. Woolstenhulme will share a variety of tips and tricks to keep the basics fresh and exciting so that reteaching, reviewing, and reinforcement are all positive and forward-moving experiences for your classrooms

Session 1.5 (Ideas for Teaching Group Vibrato): This session focuses on small daily steps in teaching and implementing a warm vibrato sound in your orchestra. Starting with determining vibrato readiness, the first steps towards developing correct left hand and arm techniques will be demonstrated. Progressive exercises will be introduced and a discussion about potential literature will be included. A segment will also be dedicated to troubleshooting!

Session 2.3 (Building Rhythm Accuracy): Creating confident rhythmic readers and counters from day #1 are basic for successful orchestral playing. Mr. Woolstenhulme has all the best devices to teach note values, pulse, counting, and more. He will cover counting systems that work best for him and will include subdivision and how all these components apply to bowings, bow division, and other performance-based criteria.

Jeremy Woolstenhulme received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Brigham Young University and a Master of Arts degree in cello performance from University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Mr. Woolstenhulme currently serves as the orchestra director at Northview High School in the Fulton County School District (Georgia), a position begun in January 2020. He directs four different orchestras. Prior to this, Mr. Woolstenhulme was orchestra director for 17 years at Hyde Park Middle School in Las Vegas, Nevada. During his tenure at Hyde Park, his award-winning orchestras performed at the Midwest Clinic and the ASTA National Conference. In 2015 and 2019, his orchestra earned first place honors at the ASTA National Orchestra Festival in the middle school division. Mr. Woolstenhulme also traveled with his orchestras to major cities around the United States and Europe. Additionally, he founded the Las Vegas String Workshop, an innovative weeklong summer camp for string students. Woolstenhulme also conducted the Las Vegas Youth Philharmonic Orchestra.

With a growing number of original and arranged works to his credit, Mr. Woolstenhulme is a commissioned and published composer, many which have been performed around the world. His works have consistently been included as J.W. Pepper Editors’ Choice selections and can be found on festival repertoire lists. He is co-author, with Terry Shade and Wendy Barden of the highly acclaimed string method, String Basics. He has also authored the popular method, Vibrato Basics along with a wealth of supplemental repertoire collections, all part of the String Basics curriculum. His specialty is to write for middle and high school orchestras where he composes to teach, challenge, and inspire.

Jeremy Woolstenhulme and his wife Taryn live in Georgia with their four children. They are dedicated to church activities, enjoy traveling, and love the outdoors.