Having recently completed a Bachelor of Music degree with honours at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, Camille is available to offer private violin lessons for children and adults of all abilities, from beginners to advanced, across Greater Manchester. More information is available below:

• biography

• guidelines

• pricing

• contact

Born in Burton-on-Trent in 1984, Camille began piano lessons at the age of six, taking up the violin aged nine as a second instrument. In 1995 she became a pupil of David Hadwen, professional violinist and Director of Strings at Repton School, Derbyshire, under whose guidance she made extraordinary progress in the following seven years. In September, 2002, she took up a place at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, studying under the guidance of soloist Leland Chen, and has since completed her Bachelor of Music degree with honours. She has continued her studies at the RNCM as a postgraduate, being awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Peformance with Distinction in June 2007 and is now working towards a Master of Music degree, studying with Yair Kless and Maciej Rakowski.

After winning a number of bursaries from the Burton and District Arts Council, Camille was able to attend music courses and perform extensively around the North of England with the Yorkshire-based Vacation Chamber Orchestras, as well as touring Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic and Italy with the European Vacation Chamber Orchestras branch. In 1999 and 2001 she toured the state of Michigan, U.S.A, with the Repton School String Orchestra with whom she performed the Bach Concerto for Oboe and Violin. In 2002, Camille beat seven other finalists to win the title of Staffordshire Young Musician of the Year with her performance of the Barber Violin Concerto with the Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra.

Camille has performed a solo recital at the University of Leicester as part of their Young Players' Platform concert series. In February 2006, Camille won Second Prize in the Kenneth Page Foundation Biennal Competition for Young Players of Violin or Viola. In November 2006, she performed a solo recital at Repton School, Derbyshire, and last year appeared at the Barton-under-Needwood Arts Festival in a concert to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Edward Elgar. She recently performed the Saint-Saens Violin Concerto No. 3 with the Lichfield Sinfonia at the Guildhall, Lichfield.

Camille freelances across the North of England as an orchestral player. In July 2007 she won the Charles Hallé Award and now regularly performs with the Hallé Orchestra at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester and across the U.K. She was recently awarded a place on the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic String Experience Scheme and is also on the Orchestra of Opera North extras list.

Lessons can be given either from the home of the teacher or the home of the student, although travel expenses will be required from those who reside outside the city of Manchester, the cost of which may be negociated between the student or student's parents/guardian.

At least 24 hours notice is required to cancel a lesson, otherwise the lesson will have to be paid for in full. Six weeks notice is required should you wish to terminate lessons. Camille is a member of the Musicians' Union and therefore a Private Teaching contract will need to be agreed for the mutual benefit of teacher and student.

Students will need to provide their own instruments. For children, many schools provide instruments for beginners and good music shops often provide suitable beginner violins and bows in a range of sizes. More advanced players may wish to purchase a high quality instrument, in which case it is recommended visiting a number of reputable violin dealers and luthiers (violin makers), whilst consulting your violin teacher, before making a purchase.

• £12.70 for 30 minutes
• £25.40 for 1 hour
• FREE consultation lesson

Lessons are to be paid for in advance in bundles of six weekly lessons. Beginner children should only require a 30 minute lesson per week initially. Intermediate level children and adults benefit from an hour-long lesson per week. A free consultation lesson is provided to help you decide whether you wish to proceed into regular violin lessons.

Camille Farrar
Wythenshawe,
Manchester