Testimonials

“I have been enjoying violin lessons with Ellen for two years now, having started with her as a late adult beginner.  Ellen gives lots of encouragement and she is an expert in explaining violin technique in a very clear and descriptive way, so that one can interpret the music effectively.  She makes the lessons both stimulating and fun and she encourages her students to play with other musicians of similar ability, all of which helps to build confidence in performance.  I can highly recommend Ellen as a teacher.”

LUCINDA

“Ellen has taught my two children the violin for several years. She has nurtured their musical abilities with great skill and sensitivity, adapting to their different needs, neurodivergence, and learning styles.  As a teacher, Ellen combines her deep musical knowledge and accomplishment with a responsive and kind approach which always encourages them.  They work on different genres of music together, taking in composition and theory as well as technique and performance. When they have wanted to take ABRSM examinations, Ellen has made sure they are thoroughly prepared and supported to do well, but the focus is always on musical development and enjoyment. This helps them not only to play alone but also with each other and in ensembles such as secondary school orchestra, Folkestone Young Strings and KMSS Summer Strings.”

CATHERINE 

“I've been studying violin with Ellen since January 2020. When I started, already as an adult, I was completely new to the violin; I had never even tried to play one, but I was always curious and interested in learning. In just four years, Ellen's teaching has taken me from not having ever touched a violin to being able to play in various community orchestras and successfully passing my grade 3 ABRSM violin exam with merit.  Not only that, but my knowledge of and appreciation for music and theory has increased exponentially as well.  
   Ellen's teaching philosophy is to always do right by her students, and this shows in her incredible awareness of what works best for them, taking into account their own individual learning styles, interests, and goals, as well as challenges. Ellen is always looking for fun and interesting ways to teach even the most complex things, with a great deal of patience and care. This includes ensuring that each student gets to develop their own musicality and discover their own voice when playing their instrument. 
   In my lessons with Ellen I've learnt how to practice, how to listen, how to interact with other musicians, how to understand the meaning of a piece of music, how to convey the feeling a piece should convey, how to be more efficient with my playing, how to troubleshoot difficult music passages, how to perform, how to coordinate my hands and recognize any unnecessary tension, and how to enjoy the good challenge a piece of music can provide, amongst many other things. 
   More importantly, she's taught me how to do all of those things while always making sure I'm enjoying the experience and the time I spend with my violin. 
   I am very grateful to Ellen for helping me forge the path to become the musician I've always wanted to be.”

ANA