Auckland
Violin Lessons | Viola Lessons | Artist development, Aural Lessons, Ensemble Coaching, Theory Lessons, NCEA Music Tutoring, Online Lessons
Bio
After completing my degree at Auckland University (M. Mus (Dist), I freelanced for a year, then completed a Post Graduate Diploma from the Royal Northern College of Music (UK) in 1999.
I have many years of experience as a freelance performer with various orchestras, touring shows, musicals and chamber ensembles and until recently have played with local professional and touring ensembles / orchestras such as APO and Bach Musica.
I have taught violin privately and at various schools (both public and private) in Auckland since my return from the UK.
My students follow either Trinity or ABRSM syllabuses and range from age 5 – adult.
Exams aren’t for everyone and lessons are tailored to the individual.
The ergonomic health of my students is of the utmost importance to me.Students often come to me with neck and shoulder pain that has been developing for years. I am very careful to ensure that my students have the correct setup, in order to avoid this potentially long-term problem.Students with pre-existing conditions (usually with long necks) have managed to resolve the pain and continue playing comfortably. It is possible to achieve this with time, treatment (eg acupuncture) and undoing tension when playing, if this was part of the problem.
Some of my students have completed Performance degrees and now teach and play in professional orchestras.
I do not use a teaching studio at present, so if you reside outside of my stated teaching areas, I can only offer you online lessons. I now travel to students’ homes, in various suburbs including: St Heliers, Mission Bay, Orakei, Kohimarama, St John’s, Stonefields & Remuera. Bordering suburbs will be considered but may incur a higher travel fee, depending on your exact location and the length of the lesson.
If you are an advanced amateur musician (age 15+), who lives out of Auckland but is able to occasionally stay nearby, then a mix of online and in-person lessons may help you achieve your playing goals.
Online lessons will work for all ages but parents of children (ages 5 – 9, esp beginners) must be prepared to be highly involved in the learning process, as I will be actively teaching you how to teach your child, in our lessons.
My stated fee is for 2023 and increases $2 per hour annually.
Teaching Info
As well as working towards practical violin exams and helping my students with their school orchestra/ chamber music, I ensure that all students have a solid theoretical grounding.