ENSEMBLES 2023

Caulfield Grammar School Chamber Strings

Chamber Strings is an auditioned ensemble which is comprised of secondary school aged students drawn from the two senior campuses of Caulfield Grammar School. They rehearse weekly under the direction of Mr. Jason Leinkauf, Head of Strings. Over the years, the group has had the privilege of working with many visiting artists as part of our ‘Artist In Residence’ program. Most notably the Koehne String Quartet, Mr. Malcom Yuen (international conductor) and Sarah Hopkins (composer). These opportunities assist in the growth and development of the group but also inspire students to achieve their very best by working with artists of such a high calibre. The Chamber Strings regularly perform at venues such as the Melbourne Concert Hall, the Melbourne Recital Centre and St. Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne. They are also regular performers at many of the schools’ music events including Campus Concerts, Founder’s Day and the biennial Whole School Concert. Most recently, the Chamber Strings performed the Waltz from Tchaikovsky's String Serenade to a full house at our annual Whole School Concert held in the Hamer Hall, Melbourne.

Jason Leinkauf

Conductor

Jason Leinkauf started music training at a very young age beginning with piano tuition with the late Nehama Patkin who was a prominent Suzuki Piano teacher. At age nine, he commenced violin lessons and at age twelve he was accepted at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, Melbourne, Australia to commence further Violin studies under the tutelage of Spiros Rantos, Gerard van de Weide and Mark Moghilevski. Jason achieved his A.mus.a and L.mus.a whilst learning with these inspirational teachers. After graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, Jason commenced his tertiary studies and went on to gain a Bachelor of Music Performance from Monash University and a Graduate Diploma of Education from The University of Melbourne. Throughout his career as a music educator, Jason has held positions at various private schools in Melbourne and in 2007 commenced employment at Caulfield Grammar School. In 2011, he was appointed the Head of Strings at Caulfield Grammar School. Jason is responsible for overseeing the String programme across Caulfield Grammar School’s three metropolitan campuses. Under Jason’s leadership, the string programme has reached a high level of teaching and performing and now caters for in excess of 350 string students and 13 ensembles. Jason is a passionate and enthusiastic teacher and conductor. He, along with the string staff of Caulfield Grammar utilises the Suzuki Method and Philosophy to inspire young students to achieve their very best, and to become lifelong learners and musicians. He currently conducts many string ensembles at his school which range from the primary aged Junior String Orchestra to the most senior and advanced group, Chamber Strings.

Competition Program

Additional Concerts Program