Private Tuition
New enquiries are always welcome, whether for lessons in person, or online.
Simply make contact through the enquiry form.
Pauline Starkey is vastly experienced as a teacher, providing private one-to-one tuition to an extremely high standard on the violin, viola, piano and in music theory, for all ages and abilities. Prepare for exams or simply learn for personal development and satisfaction! All grades are covered, with the option of ABRSM or Trinity boards. Regular 30, 45, 60 and 90 minute lessons are available all year round in Wotton-under-Edge.
Current students' ages span from 5 to 80+ years old! Some children enjoy Pauline's teaching so much they continue taking lessons with her into adulthood. Whether you are a complete beginner, reviving an old interest, wanting to enter for exams or simply wishing to play for fun, Pauline can cater for your needs, goals and ambitions.
A dedicated teacher, Pauline takes pride in equipping everyone with the necessary knowledge and skills with which they can grow musically, explore repertoire independently and develop their playing, to enable enjoyment for years to come. Pauline is CRB checked, ABRSM and Trinity registered, and well-versed in preparing exam students to the highest of standards - across all 3 instruments and in music theory. Almost all students who choose to take exams gain distinctions, often in more than one subject. Whilst 130 qualifies for a distinction in practical ABRSM exams, a number of Pauline's pupils have excelled, achieving marks in the 140s out of 150.
Get in touch with Pauline now via the contact page, don't put it off any longer! Lesson gift vouchers are also available, for any occasion.
Known for her patience annd friendly manner, Pauline Starkey is most adaptable to students' needs and is able to provide children and adults with a vast range of practise methods, instrumental techniques and performance skills to help them achieve their goals. She draws on her personal performance experience and insight of a wide range of teaching styles and methods, picked up from top professors in the country. Pauline has more to offer than most, thanks to having learnt from so many wonderful and inspiring world-class instrumentalists, at a number of specialist music establishments. An Alumni of the Purcell School (Britain's oldest specialist music school), the Royal College of Music (Junior Department) and Trinity College of Music (Junior and Senior Departments), Pauline has had a breadth of top end practical music experience difficult to match. She also took her academic music studies further, graduating with a BMus Hons Degree from The University of Sheffield, before being awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Performance at Trinity College of Music, London (now Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance). In addition to regular tuition, Pauline offers invaluable consultation lessons for those seeking extra guidance, whilst preparing for exams, auditions and competitions, as well as orchestral training for keen amateurs in amateur orchestras.
Passionate about teaching and continuing her own professional development, Pauline attends and readily shares knowledge learnt through masterclasses by world masters in their art, such as: Maxim Vengerov (violinist), Yuri Bashmet (violist), Tabea Zimmerman (violist), Lawrence Power (violist and violinist). Pauline observes masterclasses on all stringed instruments and the paino, to keep a fresh perspective on her playing, teaching and repertoire in general. She has herself taken part in masterclasses and competitions throughout her education, as both a soloist and a chamber musician. She won solo and chamber prizes at local competitions such as Richmond Music Festival and Kingston Music Festival, on the violin and viola, then participated in masterclasses and competitions at a postgraduate level with her string quartet. Whilst taking part in a violin competition for under 12s at the Royal College of Music JD, Pauline received high praise from the late Hugh Bean for her 'nimble playing', during a violin competition held in his name at the Royal College of Music JD. And as recently as 2015, Pauline received high praise yet again, this time from Leland Chen -a prodigy and friend of Yehudi Menuhin, with whom he toured- currently a professor at The Royal Northern College of Music.
Having played in over 45 chamber groups and different orchestras and string ensembles, Pauline also provides quality chamber music training and orchestral coaching and sectionals for groups and individuals seeking extra guidance. She is in tune with the many opportunities available for her students to share music with others and encourages them to do so - be it at school or with youth, university or amateur orchestras, and through chamber music sessions. At the very least, students of all ages have the opportunityto play duets with Pauline in lessons, for fun as well as educational purposes. Those less inclined to perform publicly are motivated every now and again to play finished pieces to family and friends. Where appropriate, Pauline suggests students take part in courses to widen their musical awareness, to increase their performance practise, to gain more confidence in their abilities and overall to feel a sense of achievement. In her early years, Pauline took part in courses such as the National Children's Orchestra, Pro Corda and Cadenza International Summer Music School. In addition to numerous school orchestras, she was also violinist then lead violist for many years in Malden Young Strings and Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra. Pauline knows first-hand just how uplifting, inspiring and invaluable such musical experiences can be and how they help to mould budding musicians - giving them a platform and additional means to develop general musicianship, rehearsal and performance skills, together with different people, in various settings.
Alongside advocating proper technique, fundamental to all of Pauline's violin, viola and piano teaching is the learning of music theory - at least a core foundation upon which important skills such as sight-reading can be built. Sight-reading is a crucial skill for anyone who wishes to pick up a new piece of music and to be able to play it straightaway. Pauline knows and sees time and time again how good sight-reading practise speeds up the learning process and empowers people to grow in confidence and to get more immediate fulfilment from their playing. This in turn majorly benefits making music in groups and a fun way of tackling this is through regular duet playing. It is often a challenge to sight-read but with Pauline's guidance you will learn how to approach and develop the skill so that, whether you are learning the instrument seriously or as a hobby, you are equally prepared to be independent in reading music. Pauline's vast musical education also included intensive choral and aural training, which comes in useful for students when preparing for exams. Pauline prides herself in providing all of her students with the necessary tools to be able to reach their goals and to continue playing their instruments, learning new music for years to come, even when lessons cease.
Should you or your child wish to explore music even further, Pauline will gladly encourage you to compose, being an avid composer herself. She has a portfolio of compositions for stringed instruments and piano, in solo, duet, trio and quartet form, for beginners to diploma level and beyond. She plans to publish them for tuition purposes, exam boards and professional musicians. Whilst fulfilling this other passion of composing, Pauline enjoys creating tailor-made arrangements for her varied students - especially those in between levels. This includes duet arrangements when students wish to play music which would otherwise be too difficult for them. Thus Pauline can enable you to play along to your favourite tunes and to branch out into chamber music, even as a novice! Many of her day courses include string arrangements made specially by Pauline to suit the needs and abilities of the group.
If you are an adult string player who feels you don't wish to have lessons as such but would enjoy playing alongside a professional to learn chamber music, musicianship and performance skills on a one-to-one basis, you may be interested to know about the Duet Sessions which Pauline is happy to offer (on a weekly, fortnightly or monthly basis).
Teaching Experience
Since completing her Batchelor of Music Honours Degree and Postgraduate Diploma in Performance, Pauline Starkey has built up a reputation as a very experienced, patient and enthusiastic one-to-one instrumental and music theory teacher and string coach. She has teaching experience in both the private and public sectors.
Past positions include:
Violin and piano teacher at Borough Saturday Music School, London
Tutor and string coach for The Marryat Players, Wimbledon
Violin teacher and string group coach at English Martyrs’ Primary School, London
Violin teacher and string group coach at Sedgehill Primary School, London
Deputy violin teacher at Hill House International Preparatory School, London
Schools Pauline has performed for in a professional capacity, as violinist and violist, include:
Harrow School
City of London Freemen's School
Kingston Grammar School
Wimbledon College
Some students taught by Pauline Starkey:
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