About the Author

Jan Mark Sloman (1949–2022) was a highly regarded violinist and dedicated teacher whose multifaceted career reflected his passion for the violin, its ability to communicate powerfully, and his desire to develop true artistry in the students he guided. Based in Dallas, Texas, he held the position of Principal Associate Concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra for thirty-eight years. He also performed as guest concertmaster with the Pittsburgh Symphony and with orchestras in Florence, Italy; Lugano and Geneva, Switzerland; and Melbourne, Australia. Over the course of his career he worked with world-renowned conductors, including Carlos Kleiber, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta, and Riccardo Chailly.

Sloman mastered a wide range of repertoire as an orchestral soloist, ranging from Bach and Beethoven to Tippett and Shostakovich, and his recital and chamber music performances were highlighted by collaboration with artists such as Leonard Rose, Nobuko Imai, and Yo-Yo Ma. He was a University Scholar at Princeton University and later attended the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied with the legendary twentieth-century pedagogue Ivan Galamian. His other teachers included Paul Makanowitzky, Sally Thomas, Jaime Laredo, and Joseph Silverstein.

Sloman’s attention increasingly turned to teaching. He was appointed to the faculties of Southern Methodist University, the Cleveland Institute of Music, the Heifetz International Music Institute, and the Meadowmount School of Music, among others. He had a large private studio in Dallas and also embraced the digital world early on, adding teaching via Skype and mentoring students throughout the United States.

Strongly committed to educational opportunities for young musicians, Sloman founded and directed a nonprofit organization, The Institute for Strings, to provide students in the Dallas area the opportunity to immerse themselves in an intensive music program that included solo and chamber music performance opportunities, as well as concerts as part of a self-conducted string orchestra. This unique summer program allowed 40 elite string players each session the ability to work with experienced professional musicians to hone their technical and interactive music skills over the course of 19 seasons.

The success of Sloman’s students at major conservatories and competitions brought him increasing national recognition as a teacher and mentor of the next generation of string players. His students have been finalists and received awards in both national and international competitions including: American String Teachers Association, Cooper, Davidson Institute, Fischoff, Kingsville, Music Teachers National Association, Sphinx, Stulberg, YoungArts, and Andrea Postacchini (Italy). Additionally, his students have won top prizes in the Queen Elisabeth, Sendai, Naumburg, Indianapolis, and Spohr Competitions. In 2004, he received the Pre-Collegiate Teaching Achievement award given by the Texas Music Teachers Association and in 2010 was named YoungArts Performing Arts Educator of the Year by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.