Hazel Cheilek – a legacy of building community through string teaching

Hazel Cheilek, a longtime member of ASTA and the beloved orchestra director of 17 years at the Thomas Jefferson High School in Fairfax County, VA, passed away this spring. A performer, a studio teacher, a youth orchestra coach and director, a public school orchestra director, and a champion of new music for string ensembles, Hazel believed firmly in the power of music to foster community and create meaning for all involved, no matter their age.

Prior to joining the music faculty at Thomas Jefferson in 1984, Hazel performed as a violist in the Cleveland area, as well as abroad in Vienna and Italy, where she performed with the San Pietro Chamber Orchestra in Naples. Returning to the states, she completed her Master’s at the University of North Texas, and dedicated herself to full-time teaching, beginning in Buffalo. Upon her family’s move to the Washington D.C. area, Hazel served as the viola coach for the District of Columbia Youth Orchestra Program. This was a fully integrated orchestra, representing students from across the DC public school system.

When Hazel joined Thomas Jefferson High School, it was a comprehensive high school in the Fairfax County school district. During her second year, TJ was transformed into a magnet school for science and technology. Hazel continued to teach orchestra at the school, building the program into three orchestras, and showcasing the quality of her orchestral program at the Midwest Clinic in 1995. Her goal was to allow all her students to grow in their love of music and to encourage their participation in music for the rest of their lives, regardless of where their career trajectory took them.

While at TJ, Hazel introduced her students to new music by commissioning works for her orchestras and chamber ensembles every year. One of her former students, now a player in the New York Philharmonic, commented that she didn’t realize how special this was – premiering new works as a high school student – until she began her career and realized that new work isn’t always part of what a professional orchestra does. It wasn’t until she came to the New York Phil that she experienced a similar investment in new music commissioning.

In 2011, Hazel moved to northern California to be near her daughter, Anne. She continued to teach and play following her move, and was known to find TJ alums, now working in the tech-heavy industries of northern California, and convincing them to join the local community orchestra where she continued to play. Even through the pandemic, Hazel continued to teach viola lessons, learning how to use Zoom to connect with her students (although she quickly went back to in-person lessons as soon as it was safe to do so!).

Following Hazel’s passing this spring, her children reached out to ASTA to share that their mother left a legacy gift of $10,000 in her will to support ASTA. Her funds will help ASTA work with underrepresented composers to create new works for school string ensembles, working in partnership with Rising Tide Music Press and the Hal Leonard Corporation. We are honored to receive this support from such an incredible string educator, and look forward to continuing her legacy of supporting new music for string students and ensembles.