William van der Sloot

Dorothy Richard Starling and Alexander Speyer Jr. Associate Teaching Professor of Violin
Chair, Instrumental Division

Bio

William van der Sloot is a heralded violinist and teacher whose students have earned acclaim throughout the world. A native of Alberta, Canada, he has toured extensively across Europe and North America and is a former member of the Villa Marteau Quintet.

A frequent judge at international competitions, including the Wieniawski International Violin Competition, the Brahms International Chamber Music Competition, the Stradivarius International Violin Competition, the Cooper Competition and the Chengdu International Violin Competition, his students and former students have earned top prizes in the Shean Competition, the Canadian Music Competition, the Menuhin International Violin Competition, the Stradivarius International Violin Competition, the Queen Elizabeth Competition, and the Tchaikovsky Competition, among numerous others. Many of his former students hold prominent positions in major orchestras and music schools around the world.

In 2015, William van der Sloot was named an honorary fellow of the Royal Conservatory of Music for his contributions to music education in Canada and abroad. He is a regular guest at Orford Music (Quebec), Morningside Music Bridge (New England Conservatory), and Valhalla Summer School of Music (New Denver, British Columbia) during the summer. During the academic year, he is a frequent guest artist for masterclasses at music schools across North America, China, and Europe.

William van der Sloot holds professorships at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and at Oberlin College and Conservatory. Recently, he was honored with the “Dorothy Richard Starling and Alexander C. Speyer Jr.” endowed chair at CMU. When not teaching somewhere, he can often be found working and recreating outdoors at his beloved mountain acreage in British Columbia with his family and friends.

Photo credit: Rosen Jones Photography