Information About Barbara - Hampstead teacher

Personal Description:

I graduated from the Royal College of Music (MPerf) and Guildhall School of Music and Drama (BMus Hons) where I studied with violin professors Krzysztof Śmietana and Itzhak Rashkovsky.

As a passionate advocate of music and education, I have over fifteen years of teaching experience. Currently, I work as a violin teacher at the North Bridge House Senior and Preparatory Schools in London. As an experienced chamber musician myself, I am a co-founder of Cambridge Chamber Academy, where I regularly coach ensembles and provide tuition at the chamber music summer courses. I regularly take part in educational projects, workshops and masterclasses in schools, including the Western Connecticut State University in Connecticut, US in 2020.


I hold a Certificate of completing the Phase I Coloustrings course with Geza Szilvay, which is a highly beneficial method for beginner violinists. I have worked as a Colourstrings teacher at the North London Conservatoire for five years, where I have gained the experience in practice. I take pride in teaching and in sharing my passion with young musicians. It is crucial for me to establish correct technical habits from the early years, as well as to put a strong emphasis on developing musicality. By teaching students with different backgrounds over the years, I learnt how influential violin lessons can be for their personal confidence and emotional well-being. It is also vital to establish a personal relation with a student, to find their strengths and weaknesses, to encourage and motivate them, and most importantly to develop their love for music.

I believe that my performing career has a strong influence on my teaching. I regularly work with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Academy of St. Martins in the Fields and others. I’m an appointed member of the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra, a resident orchestra of Oxford University, where I take part in a wide range of educational projects such as conducting masterclasses and composer workshops. I was privileged to perform with such artists as Martha Argerich, Maxim Vengerov, Antonio Pappano, Valery Gergiev, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Renee Fleming, and many others. Since 2010, I have frequently worked with Nigel Kennedy, both as a co-leader of his Orchestra of Life and individually, including the BBC Proms, numerous tours and recordings.

My interest in other musical genres, has led me to work with such artists as Quincy Jones, Hugh Jackman, Robert Plant, and others. I am a solo violinist in a Latin-American group called Classico Latino, which regularly performs in Colombia, UK and Europe and give regular educational music workshops in schools.

Tutoring Experience:

2022 North Bridge House Prep School, Regents Park - violin teacher cover
2020-current North Bridge House Senior School, Hampstead, London - violin teacher, ensemble coach
2019-current Cambridge Chamber Academy - chamber music and violin coach, masterclasses
2017-2021 Cantabile Polish School of Music, Balham, London - Director and violin teacher
2015-2019 North London Conservatoire (Colourstrings), Muswell Hill, London - violin teacher
2016-2013 Paddington Academy, London – peripatetic violin teacher
2013-2011 St. Martin in the Fields High School, Tulse Hill, London – deputy violin teacher

Tutoring Approach:

- professional music tuition towards ABRSM exams (all Grades)
- thorough music tuition outside of the grades system, including aural training and sight-reading on request
- approaching music through play for very young beginners
- teaching techniques include Kodaly, Suzuki and Colourstrings
- teaching music for fun for adults who want to learn a musical instrument

I take pride in teaching and in sharing my passion with young musicians. I appreciate the fact, that teaching children, especially individually, is an extremely responsible task. This is because, it is crucial for the teacher to establish correct technical habits for students from the very start, as it will have an indelible impression on their musical future. However, it is equally important to put a strong emphasis on developing musicality, as well as the psychological aspects of learning an instrument. It is simultaneously vital to develop students’ love for music, find their strengths and weaknesses, as well as to be encouraging and motivating. For that reason, my lessons are individually targeted toward each student, focusing on their individuality and personality, because I’ve learned how influential music lessons can be for young people’s personal confidence and emotional well-being.

I work hard to balance my career as a teacher, a freelance performer, and a chamber musician, and I believe that my performing career is beneficial to my teaching. Being an active player helps me to share all the essential knowledge and experiences in psychological aspects of public performance.