Vanessa Balkwill

My musical life began at birth!

Both my parents were music teachers and encouraged me from the earliest age to learn as many instruments as I wanted to learn. I started on the clarinet at age 4, then the flute, but I fell in love with the violin around age 10 and have never looked back!

My first pupil was a ‘gift’ to me when I was 14. My mother was head of music at Stonehill High School at the time and this particular child had been given up on by their regular peripatetic teacher. My mother asked me if I would teach them. It was an exciting challenge and I agreed. The pupil progressed and passed ABRSM exams under my tutoring and I have been guiding children of all ages through ABRSM grades 1 to 5 in both violin and theory every since.

Leicestershire was world renowned as a place to learn music and I grew up through the famous and excellent Leicestershire schools orchestra system (Now “Leicestershire Music Hub”). During my time in the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, I toured the world, playing in many prestigious venues to much acclaim. It was the very best start for my musical career and an experience I would highly recommend to my pupils.

Ever Since 1997, I have been devising and running music and movement sessions with children aged 0 – 5 (at first with “Singing Sally’s” then with my own business “Tickled Skink”). Through this, I really came to understand the learning styles of very young children, how they learn and what keeps them thoroughly engaged. I became very interested in teaching the violin to this age group.

In 2017, I undertook Kay Tucker’s “Stringbabies” training in Glasgow in order to teach very young children violin through a system of shapes. I have been using this system successfully with children as young as three ever since.

More recently, however, I have devised my own method, based on over 40 years of experience and combining my two greatest loves (music and drama/storytelling). This is a story based method of learning violin that encourages both the ability to read music with general musicianship through Solfege. It is lots of fun, keeping very young children inspired and engaged through the power of the imagination.

I do still, of course, teach children of all ages, and tailor the lessons to suit the child’s age, stage and level of maturity. The traditional method of learning the violin suits older children so I do use this curriculum too.

All pupils start with a half hour lesson in my own home in Leicester or online through Zoom (if preferred) at a cost of £12 per lesson paid in monthly blocks. After Grade 1 ABRSM, Pupils will progress to an hour lesson (if over the age of 8) at a cost of £24 per lesson paid in monthly blocks.

I specialise in the younger child and the early stages so I do not teach beyond grade 5, but will pass pupils on to a trusted teacher I know who specialises in the higher grades when they reach that stage.

Theory lessons are also available up to that all important ABRSM Grade 5. Grade 5 must be passed before a pupil can progress to ABRSM Grade 6 and above in violin.

My heritage is steeped in musicality. In addition to both my parents being music teachers, my brother (Corin Long) became a world renowned double bass player and my daughter (Louise Balkwill) an up and coming London based Jazz singer/musician.

I truly value the ability to pass on this legacy to the next generation and can’t wait to inspire your child with the great gift that is music making.