Teaching
From personal experience, I know the impact that any good, or equally bad, teacher can have. They should inspire, uplift, advance, and build you. It's a constant balancing act of pushing and giving, encouragement and critique and certainly not something to be taken for granted. This is something that I am acutely aware of, having experienced both ends of the spectrum, and something that I strive to give to my students.
Playing the cello has given me so much in life. From my earliest memories, through my school years, when at University and to this day, having a connection to the musical world has opened up opportunities, education, travel, cherished friendships and a way of life that would not have been possible had I not learnt a musical instrument. I have been very lucky to have this from the beginning and of course it made learning easier in some respects. However, for those who think they are too old to learn, I believe that it is never too late to learn and life experience feeds our music. We never stop learning when it comes to music, it is simply a journey, one that you can start at any time and still benefit from.
So whether you are a complete beginner or are already on your cello journey, no matter your age, no matter your aims, I will be on your side to help you find and discover what playing the cello can give you.
Different forms of teaching
I offer one-to-one lessons, a cello ensemble in addition to lessons and Masterclass days open to all
One-to-One lessons
These lessons are tailored to you. I want you to leave your lessons feeling satisfied with what you have learnt and excited to carry on. Everyone learns differently, there is not a one way fits all. I like to keep an open dialogue with you about what helps you to learn and progress, curating lessons that are suited to you, working towards your aims, while establishing a solid foundation to your technique and giving you the tools to progress on your journey on the cello.
Any age or ability is welcome. I have students ranging from 8 to 80!
If you have any questions, please do get in touch.
Cello ensemble
I run a cello ensemble alongside lessons that is designed for all abilities, and gives my students (particularly adults who do not have access to a school or amateur orchestra) an opportunity to meet and play with others.
This is an excellent opportunity to advance key skills such as listening, rhythm and time keeping abilities.
This is also aimed to be a social event where you can come and relax for a couple of hours, enjoy playing some lovely music, and have tea and home-baked goods in the break.
Masterclass days
The cello masterclass days are being newly launched in 2024.
These will be aimed at students as individual players having a chance to play in front of others and then having an observed one to one session on specific pieces of your choice. These sessions will be able to be viewed by everyone so that you can each learn from watching and listening to each other - a very useful and different experience to being the one sitting in the chair and doing the playing.
The object of a masterclass is focused on the delivery and musical interpretations of a piece rather than a focus on technique although this may come into it.
If you are interested in attending these masterclasses, please do get in touch with me.