Information About Katharine Rachel - Bampton teacher -

(2 reviews)

Personal Description:

I am RACHEL, flute teacher, based between Abingdon and Witney. Although originally qualified as a solicitor, for the last ten+ years, I have focused on music: - flute teaching, as well as performance and outreach (working in hospitals, residential homes and special schools to use the medium of music to inspire and uplift both children and adults). I love performing and have played regularly with various orchestras and ensembles in the South East. Particularly exciting performances in recent years include playing principal flute in charity performances of "Carmen" at Sadler's Wells, "The Magic Flute" at Glyndebourne and "Oklahoma!" at Holland Park. I am currently co-principal with Oxford Symphony Orchestra and recently performed a concerto with another Oxford orchestra.

Tutoring Experience:

My experience includes teaching both children (from the age of about 8 - once they have their front teeth) and adults: including complete beginners, pupils who have already been learning for a few years and adult learners returning to the flute after a break of many years. I mainly teach privately, but also teach in a couple of independent schools, and I also offer online lessons through Zoom. Current pupils include: an adult learner who took her first ever music exam with me - grade 5 flute with merit - followed by grade 6 with distinction; a 12 year old who is very proud of her recent grade 1 distinction; a 14 year old who plays very enthusiastically but currently has no desire to take any exams; a teenager who comes from Wales for lessons with me; and a 13 year old who was recently awarded a music scholarship to her senior school and is now working towards her grade 8. Meanwhile, a fond farewell to one of my pupils whom I took from grade 2 through grade 8 and who is now studying at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music. I was awarded a distinction in my ABRSM teaching diploma. My teachers have greatly inspired me in a variety of different ways; I now hope to pass some of that inspiration to you! .

Tutoring Approach:

Music can be enormous fun and lessons should be fun too. But it is also important that good habits are acquired early on, as it is very difficult to lose bad habits once they have become established. So, scales and exercises are important, but can be made interesting and relevant, instead of dull and meaningless. There is no pressure or requirement to enter any exams; for some pupils, exams provide a useful incentive, but others prefer not to follow an exam path. If pupils would like to take an exam, I prepare them for the ABRSM exams (for which I have a 100% success rate, mostly at merit and distinction levels). An exam is a marker of progress though, not a goal in itself. My lessons are not slavishly tailored simply to passing exams, but are structured to ensure that the fundamentals of flute playing technique and general musicianship are learnt properly, while of course allowing for spontaneity and encouraging what will hopefully become a life-long love of music.

(Please note that my fees are discounted for longer lessons, which is why there are different hourly rates for different levels, as pupils at the lower grades are likely to have shorter lessons. Please contact me for clarification of fees for different length lessons, thank you!)