Information About Michael - Colchester teacher -

(2 reviews)

Personal Description:

I am Michael and teach both violin and viola
From an early I was exposed to many different musical stimuli, fact which contributed to my later artistic development as a classical, contemporary and world music performer.

I perform for many years at concerts in various countries with several orchestras (such as City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, English National Ballet, Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra etc.), chamber music ensembles, traditional and popular music bands as well as a soloist.
I am founding member of Diphonon Duo (Viola-Accordion) with the Spanish accordionist Inigo Mikeleiz Berrade, performing a wide range of repertoire from Baroque to Contemporary Music and transcriptions of various traditional-inspired compositions as well. Diphonon Duo was chosen to be the Open Academy/Wigmore Hall Learning Fellowship Ensemble for the year 2017-18.
Since 2019 we are Live Music Now musicians.

I have been a scholar of Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Royal Academy of Music, Athena Scholarship and State Scholarships Foundation of Greece.

I have studied violin at the University of Macedonia in Greece and the University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria with J.Pospichal.
After obtaining my Bachelor Degree in violin with grade “Excellent” I continued to Postgraduate Studies (Master of Arts) in Viola Performance with full scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music in London where I graduated from the class of J.Sleigh. Thereafter I studied with the renowned violist Roger Chase at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where I obtained my Postmaster Degree (Postgraduate Advanced Diploma) in viola performance. I have also received the LRAM teaching diploma from the Royal Academy of Music with specialisation in violin and viola education.

Among other important musicians, I had the chance to perform in masterclasses and lessons with Lawrence Power, Vladimir Mendelssohn, Garth Knox, Hartmut Rohde, Paul Silverthorne, Annette Isserlis, Paul Patterson, Tatjana Masurenko etc.

Tutoring Experience:

I am an enthusiastic violin and viola and chamber music teacher and performer with long experience in music schools, music services and conservatoires in the UK and Greece with pupils of all levels and age groups. I currently work in Saffron Centre for Young Musicians, Colchester Royal Grammar School, St. Mary's and Colchester Sixth Form College. I have experience preparing students for grade exams (ABRSM or Trinity), concerts etc and I also coach chamber music ensembles and string orchestras.

Tutoring Approach:

My teaching philosophy is that knowledge should be given to the student in an interesting and creative way as I consider important that someone should love the subject she/he is learning and enjoy it throughout the whole process. In this way learning becomes much easier and effective. I include in my lessons a lot of activities, training this way the student in various aspects giving a well rounded musical education.