Michelle, Middleton Cheney, Northants     

Sian has taught my 2 boys violin since 2013 and in that time my eldest has passed Grades 2, 3 & 4 plus Gold and Platinum music medals and is working towards Grade 5. My youngest, a beginner has achieved Grade 1 plus his Copper and Bronze music medals and is on Silver pieces plus Grade 2. Sian is a breath of fresh air, she makes the lessons fun and keeps up the pace by aiming for the next milestone. Her passion for music shines through in her enthusiasm to help them progress and she keeps the boys engaged with a variety of different ways to enjoy music - even using technology to keep it relevant for today's young musicians.

Ellen, Aldminster, Warks   

Sian taught violin to my teenage daughter for just over 2 years. Before we met Sian, it had become difficult to motivate her to practice, and every session was a battle. However, Sian's teaching methods transformed her playing, and it is a pleasure to hear her laugh during her lessons and to see her begin to enjoy her music again. Sian gets the job done. They still learn exam pieces and scales, but she has a way of engaging them into learning that makes it fun rather than a chore. My daughter has passed her Grade 3 and 4 exams with Sian, and is now studying for Grade 5. I would highly recommend Sian to anyone. She is a great teacher, and an outstanding violinist. Ellen, Aldminster, Warks

Bev, Shenington, Oxon   

Sian has taught my two children from the age of 7 & 8. My son has Autism and she did a great job teaching him. Especially as he can be tricky to manage due to the issues he has when his senses are overwhelmed. In particular she was exceptionally good at sensing his mood and abilities on the day. Both children had lessons for 4 years and my daughter achieved a Merit in Grade 3 during this time as well as her music medals – one with a distinction in all categories! Eddie passed his Grade 2 and has been learning his grade 3 pieces with great success. Sian is a fantastic teacher and always appears for lessons with an enthusiastic and cheerful mood.

Angela, Northants

Sian has taught Tilly for two years and she has made great progress. Her style of teaching is far less rigid than our previous experiences. Apart from lovely playing, the predominant sound we hear during her lesson is laughter. Tilly also responds well to Sian’s use of electronic multimedia and apps. This certainly helped her achieve excellent marks in the theory section of her grade 4 exam. Moving into adolescence, Tilly was becoming bored with her violin and the procedure of grades. But with Sian she has been encouraged to explore and enjoy many different genres of music. This year she has felt confident enough to start to improvise and become the strings section for her school house band.

Philip, Bicester, Oxon

I can thoroughly recommend Sian as a violin tutor. I decided to learn to play the instrument late in life and was obviously a little apprehensive. Sian put me totally at ease and completely understood my needs. After the few lessons I have received I believe that I am going to enjoy playing the violin and learn a lot from her.. It is sure to be a long journey but with Sian’s help I am sure we will progress nicely. We planned a lesson schedule with regular intervals and she came to my home on time as arranged.

Eric

As a mature student I was taught for ABRSM examinations, at grade 2 and grade 3 levels, by Sian for a period of two years between September 2012 and September 2014. She was also supportive of my interest in folk/traditional music. This tuition would have continued had it not been that we moved house to the South Coast where, regrettably, distance made it impossible. During the two year period I passed Grade 2, having started virtually from scratch, and was well on the way to taking Grade 3. I found Sian to be an enthusiastic though meticulous teacher whose positive attitude to both her subject and her student created, confidence and a sense of purpose in the learning experience. Her professionalism is exemplary. I would not hesitate to recommend her. 

Sam, Hempton, Oxon

Sian re-ignited my daughters’ enthusiasm for the violin. Lessons were always a huge enjoyment and never a chore. Sian would take the trouble to find out what music my daughter wanted to play to ensure she enjoyed learning. . Sian taught my daughter for approximately 18 months, giving her a great balance between exam pieces and pleasure music. Other commitments meant the violin had to be given up but occasionally my daughter will wistfully say she’d like to start the violin again. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Sian to anyone interested in learning the violin. Also if you get the opportunity book her for a party or go and see her play, you’ll have a fantastic evening and be blown away by the playing.