Studying with Prof. Rodney Friend at the Royal Academy of Music, London.
Playing solo, orchestrally and in a recently formed piano trio.
Teaching both violin and viola to all ages.
Please scroll down for more information and a contact form.
Education and
experience
Between the ages of 4 and 11, I learned the violin with local teacher Laura Gardiner. I then worked for a year with Cynthia Fleming, former leader of the BBC Concert Orchestra, before becoming, when I was 12, a private student of Rodney Friend, Royal Academy professor and former leader of the London Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony orchestras.
May 2014
First public solo performance, at the Sleaford Live Festival. Subsequent concert venues have included local schools and churches and, several times, the lovely Quaker Meeting House at Brant Broughton.
October 2015
Leader and soloist, aged 10, for a group of young musicians performing a Vivaldi concerto with Nicola Benedetti. We played in front of a near capacity audience at Leeds Town Hall, as part of Nicola’s Four Seasons Tour.
March 2017
Final appearance as a competitor at the Grantham Music Festival, and third year winning the open strings repertoire trophy there. That was the last of several happy years competing solo and in ensembles at various local festivals, as well as the North London Festival, where I was placed first in the 11-and-under concerto competition.
July 2017
Cambridge International String Academy at Trinity College, meeting conservatoire students from across the world, and having lessons with the eminent international faculty.
October 2017
Chamber orchestra leader for Elgar’s ‘Serenade for Strings’ - a performance in Grantham, again with Nicola Benedetti.
November 2017
Music For Youth Prom, Royal Albert Hall. In children’s and youth orchestras, I have also performed at other national venues, including Birmingham Symphony Hall, Birmingham Town Hall and The Royal Festival Hall.
March 2018
First solo recital, at St Wulfram’s Church, Grantham, where I had previously sung in the choir.
October 2019
Foyer recital at the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, before James Ehnes’ performance with the Hallé Orchestra.
August 2020
Friend’s International Violin Academy: lessons with Siyeon Ryu, Yuzuko Horigome, So-Ock Kim, Cihat Askin, Dong-Suk Kang and Joel Smirnoff.
July 2021
Performance of Vaughan Williams’ ‘The Lark Ascending’ for a community fundraising concert at St Wulfram’s Church, Grantham.
March 2022
Foyer recital at the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, before Patricia Kopatchinskaja’s performance with the C.B.S.O. The centrepiece of my programme was Tartini’s ‘Devil’s Trill’ Sonata.
Teaching
I greatly enjoy teaching both violin and viola. I began supporting younger musicians in ensembles when I was 11, and I successfully coached four young violinists for a concert performance of a Telemann quartet when I was 13. My first individual student came to me when I was 15 and, since then, I have taken on a further 7 students, aged from 6 to 15 and from beginner to ABRSM grade 7 standard. My 12-year-old viola student was awarded a place in the National Children’s Orchestra as well as winning the Anne Abbott Trophy for the overall best performance at the 2022 Grantham Music Festival.
I teach all ages, from beginners to advanced players, and I have experience working effectively with students who have special educational needs. I aim for clearly defined progress, based on a natural and well understood technique, with a singing sound and a reliable sense of pitch and rhythm.
I can provide good instruments, well set up, in all sizes.
Fees:
30 minutes - £12.00
45 minutes - £18.00
1 hour - £24.00
Instrument hire - £5.00 per month for good modern student instruments. Better, antique instruments from £10.00 per month
My Instruments
I play on an eighteenth-century violin most probably made in Vienna by Sebastian Dallinger. I love it so much that I had my luthier, Andrew Sutherland, make me a viola based on the same Stainer model. My bow is by Howard Green.
Contact
