Jacob Shaw
Professor of Cello
Email: [email protected]
Jacob Shaw is Professor of Cello at the RNCM, teaching on both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. If you would like to contact Jacob directly, please reach out via the email address above.
An international award-winning British cellist, his career spans nearly two decades and five continents. He has performed as a soloist in major concert halls worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, the Berlin Konzerthaus, the Royal Albert Hall, and the Seoul Arts Center, and was twice invited to perform at the Ball of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in the Musikverein. His critically acclaimed debut CD led to numerous international broadcasts and features.
In 2016, Jacob founded the Scandinavian Cello School (SCS), an innovative foundation supporting young musicians. Based at “The Musical Farm” – a historic farm in Denmark, SCS welcomes around 150 guests annually and promotes a holistic approach to music education. In 2021, SCS went viral with a global reach of 2.1 billion views, featured on the front page of The New York Times and covered by major media outlets worldwide. Today, SCS nurtures exceptional talents aged 16–25 who regularly win top competitions and secure leading orchestra positions, whilst focusing on mental health, sustainability and work-life balance. His students at RNCM benefit from free mini-residencies at SCS.
A dedicated educator, Jacob previously held the Cassadó Chair at Academia Marshall in Barcelona and has taught at leading institutions worldwide, including Juilliard and CCOM. He studied at the Yehudi Menuhin School, École Normale de Musique de Paris, Hochschule für Musik Augsburg-Nürnberg, and the Royal Danish Academy of Music, with lessons from Janos Starker in Bloomington. His students have become prizewinners at major international competitions (Bach, Geneva, Lutoslawski, Casals, etc.) and occupy orchestral positions all over the world.
Based in Denmark for over 15 years, he is active in local community life and advocates for cancer charities following his recovery from stage 4 Burkitt’s Lymphoma. Outside music, he enjoys cooking and a self-sufficient lifestyle with his partner and two daughters.
Current and Future Research
Scandinavian Cello School / The Musical Farm: 2016 – present.
Elite training for young musicians – with focus on mental health, biodiversity/sustainability in performing arts, and outreach projects.
Supported financially by the Danish Arts Council, Augustinus Foundation, W. Demant Foundation, Greenland Resources.
On the coastline 60km south of Copenhagen, an international school for young elite classical music talents has made their home. Becoming one of the most viral stories to hit the classical music world in recent years, media coverage such as The New York Times has brought the story of Scandinavian Cello School to over 2.1 billion worldwide. An explosion in interest is due to the unique ethos at the school – achieve a healthy work-life balance, side by side with world class music training. Outreach concerts, outdoor experiences and collective living are all part of their philosophy to create more balanced and ultimately better musicians.
Scandinavian Cello School (SCS) is located next to Lund, a historic fishing village which features one of Denmark’s oldest harbours. Hosting stunning views from the SCS campus just a stones throw from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stevns Klint, director and international award-winning cellist Jacob Shaw works closely alongside a board of industry leaders in classical music to help promote, support and educate young musical talents. Musicians they support have won the biggest international competitions in classical music and played around the world.
The school has succeeded in bringing classical music to new audiences and in untraditional surroundings. It challenges and strengthens both international and Danish talents that are brought together. A solid foundation for their future is planted whilst on Danish soil through world class teaching, essential networking and a healthy life balance. SCS strengthens the quality of an already strong music scene in Denmark, whilst contributing to the spread of a quintessentially Danish approach to working: High quality training and focus going hand in hand with socializing, good home-grown food and strong respect for individual personalities.
Research Areas
- Biodiversity and Sustainability in Performing Arts (Jacob Shaw, Scandinavian Cello School) 2022-25
- Mental Health within Elite Classical Music Training (Jacob Shaw, Scandinavian Cello School, awarded Danish National Radio “Firesoul Award”), 2016-2024
- MERITAcubed – Partner (Jacob Shaw, Scandinavian Cello School). Winner of the Creative Europe European Call 2024 with co-funding from the European Union, for a total of €2.800.000, 2025-2029
Research Funding
Danish Arts Council, Augustinus Foundation, Harby Foundation, EU Creative Europe, EU LAG Foundation, EU LDP Foundation
Selected Outputs
Written Outputs
- The Strad: ‘The Road to Vienna’, Issue Number 134 (2024): pages 48-57 (digital issue link)
- New York Times: “When the cellos play, the cows come home” (28 April, 2021): Front page, arts section lead story pages 1-7 (digital issue link)
Practice Research (recordings)
- DEBUT, Jacob Shaw with José Gallardo (piano), MCI Chinese Traditional Ensemble / 2 Box Set CD (2015 – Roven Records) link
- From the Old World to the New (2016 – Divine Art) link
- The Road to Vienna, Jacob Shaw with SCS Cello Ensemble (2024 – SCS Collection / Evidence Classics) link
- Aria, NOVO Quartet produced by Jacob Shaw (2024 – SCS Collection / Evidence Classics) link
- Track 1, produced by Jacob Shaw (2025 – Aparté) link
Practice Research (film)
- The Musical Farm, series featuring Jacob Shaw, Scandinavian Cello School (SCS Productions) link
- SCS Young Artists (SCS Productions) link
Public Presentations
- Cello Yoga, Technique Video link
Web Resources
- Foundation: Scandinavian Cello School link
Professional Activity
Masterclasses given:
Harlem Creates (Students of Manhattan & Juilliard School) New York, USA
Northwestern University, Chicago, USA
Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, IRE
Augsburg University Leopold Mozart Zentrum, DE
University of Toronto, CAN
Chopin University Warsaw, PL
Harbin Institute of Technology Music Department, CN
Harbin Conservatory, CN
Daqing University Music Department, CN
Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, CN
Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing, CN
Shanghai Conservatory, CN
Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, SI
Royal Scottish Conservatoire (Junior Department), UK
Lviv Conservatory of Music, UA
The Sage Gateshead Young Musicians Program (Weekend School), UK
Royal Danish Academy of Music (Open Day Program), Copenhagen, DK
Romanian Young Musicians Academy, RO
Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, CH
Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris, FR
Central Conservatory of Music Beijing CCOM, CN
Krakow Academy of Music, PL
Chengdu Music University CCAA, CH
USIC University Institute of Music Kuala Lumpur, MY
Aarhus MGK, DK
Copenhagen MGK, DK
Festival del Lago in Ajijic, MX
Augustow Cello Festival, PL
LAB Summer Classes, IT
Korean National Special Talents Camp, KR
Lancut International Summer Masterclasses, PL
Mendelssohn Summer Festival, UK
LGT Young Soloists Ensemble, DE
Stauffer Academy, IT
HEM Geneva, CH
Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, UK
In recent years Jacob has brought his skill sets together and created a boutique consultancy agency, SCS consultancy, working regularly for industry leaders such as Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, Warner Classics and Universal Music – in addition for special projects in the business world for clients including Ernst & Young and McKinsey & Company. In April 2022 Jacob Shaw took on the role of Director of Culture for a year at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stevns Klint. Stevns Klint Visitor Center is a cultural landmark for science-based communication about the Depth of Time, the Development of Life, Cliff & Nature. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is driven by the vision that the common culture and natural heritage is accessible for all: He oversaw the upstart of an entire cultural, artistic and event planning at the world class center that opened with the Queen of Denmark in October 2022.
