Information About Julia - Teddington teacher

Personal Description:

I gained a degree in music at the prestigious Musikhochschule (Music Academy) of Heidelberg-Mannheim, where I studied the violin as my first instrument, followed by postgraduate studies with Prof. Franciszek Jurys at the Music Academy of Darmstadt.

I went on to pass my first and second state teaching exams, qualifying as a secondary/grammar school teacher for music and German after reading German language and literature as my second subject at the University of Mannheim.

Since moving to Britain in 1998, I have attained Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and am a member of the European String Teachers' Association (ESTA).

I am also passionate about my own violin playing and performing and I am a founder member of the London-based Aeneas Ensemble, and we give concerts in the UK as well as abroad (France, Italy, Germany). In addition, I am a member of various project orchestras in Germany and Italy.

While at the Music Academy, I was an active participant in international violin and chamber music masterclasses with violinists Alexander Arenkow, Klara Flieder, Winfried Rademacher and Roman Nodel.

In the past, I have played in a number of orchestras, including the International Orchestra Academy of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra with the acclaimed conductors Lorin Maazel, Kurt Sanderling and Semyon Bychkov, and the Jeunesses Musicales with conductor Dennis Russell Davies.

Tutoring Experience:

I have been giving priva**Contact Detail Removed**ssons in the Teddington/Twickenham area for more than 15 years, and have also been teaching at a local primary school for more than 10 years. Previously, I taught adults and children at Kensington & Chelsea College, pupils at the German School in Petersham and the Old Vicarage School in Richmond. I first started teaching the violin about 30 years ago in Germany, when I was still a student at Music Academy in Mannheim.

I have vast expierience teaching all age ranges from 3 year olds onwards to retired adults, and all ages in-between.

Over the years, I have successfully prepared hundreds of pupils for Trinity and ABRSM exams from Initial/Grade 1 to Grade 8 and beyond (ARSM diplomas), and also for scholarship auditions and the violin performance part for pupils doing Music as part of their GCSEs/A levels.

My pupils have done well in Trinity and ABRSM exams up to Grade 8, with a 100% pass rate. In recent years, about 90% of them obtained merits and distinctions, and many have won scholarships at local independent schools. Some of my more advanced pupils are preparing for (and some have passed with merit/distinction) ARSM diplomas.

My committed pupils regularly take part in Kingston and Richmond Music Festivals, often winning prizes.

I have a full DBS check.

Tutoring Approach:

With decades of experience, I am of southwest London’s most established violin teachers. Dedicated, intuitive and thorough, I pride myself on my success in obtaining great results from my pupils, whatever their level, age or musical background.

Instruction with me begins with the basics – correct posture and bow hold – both of which are fundamental to future success. As pupils progress, I work out a personalised programme tailored to their individual needs and talent to help their further development.

Although exams can be seen as a yardstick for measuring progress, I strongly encourage my pupils to enjoy playing the violin for its own sake and exploring its rich repertoire. I organise pupils concerts to give them an opportunity to share what they have learned with family and friends. They also have the chance to be part of an ensemble and take part in Richmond and Kingston Festivals.

Learning the violin can be rewarding and fun – but requires hard work. I expect my pupils to put in regular practice, without which it is impossible to make progress, which is the key to enjoyment. A considerable degree of parental involvement is also required, especially for younger children.

Adult pupils: Most of my adult pupils prefer a more flexible and relaxed approach, and this is fine with me. I'm happy to support keen amateur violinists who would like to learn just for the enjoyment of music and don't necessarily want to take graded exams.