We were very fortunate to welcome Nicole Wilson, Professor of Violin at the Royal Academy of Music, to deliver a violin masterclass at Downe House. This was a very special opportunity for all of the musicians in the School (not just the violinists) to watch a masterclass of this level. As well as teaching at the Royal Academy, Nicole Wilson is also a professional freelance violinist and has played with many world class orchestras such as the London Symphony Orchestra and the English National Opera.

A number of our Upper Sixth pupils were selected to perform in this masterclass. All four performed brilliantly and gained so much from all the advice and encouragement that they were given. Here is what one pupil had to say about her experience:

“I had the chance to take part in a violin masterclass hosted by Professor Nicole Wilson in November. The piece I played was Spanish Fantasy by composer Igor Frolov. It was my first masterclass ever, and I found it extremely helpful. Professor Wilson helped me to improve a lot of my techniques and gave me advice on how to express the piece in a more expensive way. Her teaching style was unique, as she used many different everyday examples to describe how she felt about areas we should improve on, which I found extremely creative and helpful. Being in a masterclass is very different from being in a normal violin lesson. In a normal class, it’s one-on-one learning from your teacher, but in a masterclass, you also get to listen and learn from others participating in the masterclass. I am extremely grateful for being given the chance to experience a masterclass, and I hope I will get another opportunity like this soon!”