Salt Lake City, UT – A chance encounter with a flyer outside a grocery store launched Ezekiel “Zeke” Sokoloff’s musical career, culminating in a full-ride scholarship to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The Diana & Joel Peterson School of Music, formerly the Gifted Music School, announced the news, celebrating Sokoloff’s accomplishments, which began with lessons at the Salt Lake City institution.
Sokoloff, who began playing violin at age five, was introduced to the school by his mother, who had played an instrument in high school. He credits the school’s environment and instructors with fostering his passion for music, emphasizing the importance of discipline, teamwork, and communication. Sokoloff took lessons in both violin and piano, and his instructors encouraged him to strive for excellence, preparing him for his future studies.
At 20 years old, Sokoloff has performed with the Utah, Seattle, and Vancouver symphonies, as well as the Chicago Arts Orchestra and the Vienna Opera Ball Orchestra. He has also received numerous awards, including first-place finishes in several competitions. Sokoloff has performed at venues including Carnegie Hall and the Konzerthaus in Vienna, and is a cofounder of ArtIs, an arts organization in the Bay Area.
According to Sokoloff’s father, Scott Epstein, a board member for the Diana & Joel Peterson School of Music, the school’s teaching methods provide high-quality music education and prepare students for success beyond the stage. The school has achieved 100% college matriculation for graduating seniors over the past four years, with students receiving over $3.3 million in scholarship offers. The Diana & Joel Peterson School of Music was founded in 2008 and provides instruction to students of all backgrounds through its GRIT program. The school is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation.
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