Rachel is a lovely mentor. She is all-encompassing for beginners and experts alike, and got me through reading sheet music promptly and with ease. Her passion for teaching shows well as she prioritises good quality violin practice and urges students to play pieces they want to do. If you are looking for a violin teacher who has upheld the quality of their students' work for years, whilst simultaneously making violin playing fun and easy, then I would highly recommend Rachel.

Yasmin, Student

 

I thoroughly enjoyed my time learning to play the violin with Rachel. She is an incredibly patient, kind, and supportive teacher. I looked forward to my violin lessons every week, not only because I liked to play, but also because I enjoyed seeing Rachel. I was a very chatty and chaotic child, and Rachel was more than a violin teacher to me, always offering kind words of encouragement and advice. Both during frustrations with my violin skills and when I was going through childhood emotional growing pains, I knew I could always count on her to listen. My violin skills improved significantly, and I was able to accomplish a new ABRSM Grade every year. I still use tips and tricks I learned in Rachel’s lessons—from rhyming mnemonic devices to remember musical theory to bowing exercises we made up nicknames for together. As a teacher, Rachel built up my confidence and motivated me when necessary—as a joke between us, my metronome is named in her honor. I couldn’t recommend violin lessons with Rachel enough. 

Basia, Student

 

Mrs Rachel is a great teacher. Not only does she teach amazingly but she also knows how to form a connection with her students. She has been teaching me for 8 years and has sort of become my friend. She doesn’t give up on me when the lesson gets hard and is always very patient. My most recent exam results for both violin and piano have been a distinction due to her teaching. She makes the lesson enjoyable and is very understanding if I’m tired or in a bad mood. When i started piano with her i had some bad habits with my reading and how I learned my pieces because of my previous teacher but because of Mrs Rachel working slowly and steadily with me i managed to improve by a lot. Overall she’s an amazing teacher and i definitely recommend her if anyone’s looking for a violin or piano teacher. 

Wiktoria, Student

 

At first I was hesitant when it came to ABRSM violin lessons with Rachel; from the age of 6 I have been following the Suzuki music system, so switching to ABRSM was a big adjustment. However, thanks to Rachel’s methodological approach to teaching, I made immense progress; from my sound quality to my ability to process unseen sheet music. To this day I am applying the skills I learned during my lessons when I play the violin. 

Maryisa, Student

 

I recommend Ms Rachel as she is an amazing teacher, not only does she support my learning process but she also does it in a fun and caring way. Her lessons are always entertaining and educational making the process of learning new things extremely fun. 

Tosia, Student

 

I have always enjoyed my lessons with Ms. Wood. Ms. Rachel always spend the time to tell more about the history behind the composer or piece and discuss how this influence the way it could be performed. 

I have especially enjoyed the atmosphere of the lessons, because there has been always some fun element. 

Ms. Wood has always been very kind and understanding. We could talk about personal topics. 

For me Ms. Rachel was more than just my violin teacher as if anything happened in school I would always talk to her about it. She has taught me so much and I feel that she cares very much about me as a person.

Michal, Student

 

Ms Rachel has been teaching me piano since I was 5 and was still going to reception. Her ability to teach children in different ages has been amazing as I have never had a problem and always had a good experience from 2016 up till now. One of the best ways that Ms. Rachel has made me play well and accomplish milestones is always taking it slow and making sure one thing is done before we start another, for me this was very evident as when I had a different teacher he often made me rush things and I was making mistakes in crucial places that I had to go back later to perfect. She also always suppported me with anything I had going on and gave her honest feedback. In these 8 years I have become a very good piano player and from her help I managed to get a distinction from my music exam. I will always be grateful for what Miss Rachel taught me and I know that more students will also be surprised by how good her teachings are.

Marcel, Student

 

Ms. Rachel has been my piano teacher since I was six years old. Her dedication and skill shaped not just my talent but also my confidence as a pianist. I'm now a great sight-reader and regularly receive high marks on my music exams thanks to her help.  Ms. Rachel also stands out for her warmth and constant support. She creates a kind atmosphere in which I feel free to ask for help since I know that she will help me through any difficulties. I have acquired not just the skill of playing the piano but also a lifelong passion and appreciation for music thanks to Miss Rachel.

Nadia, Student

 

I have played the violin with Rachel in various ensembles for 7 years, including in groups she taught as well as quartets and orchestras we performed in together for school events and trips. She is an incredibly kind, understanding, and non-judgmental person who created a safe space for learning. I always felt comfortable approaching Rachel about my struggles without fear of criticism. She helped me build my technical skills on the violin, but more importantly, she taught me to find joy in the music rather than fixating on technical perfection, which helped me shift my perspective and to really fall in love with playing the violin. 

Nataliia, Student

 

Having Rachel as my ensemble leader has been an incredibly enriching experience. She has given me unwavering support and encouragement which helped me excel not only in music but also inspired me to strive for excellence in all aspects of my life. Her positivity and genuine care means she is not just my teacher or mentor, but a cherished friend. 

Alicia, Student

 

Rachel is great. Every lesson is fun and enjoyable. Every time i make a mistake or don’t understand, she always explains clearly and simply the correct way to play or the correct notes to play making the lesson feel less like a lesson and more like a cooperation to help me improve my playing. 

Mati, Student

 

Working with Rachel has been incredible. I’ve developed an interest in music and have built my confidence. I very much recommend Rachel to anyone wanting enjoyable and rewarding piano lessons.

Louisa, Student

 

I’ve been learning with Mrs. Rachel since I was in first grade, so it’s been almost six years. She’s a really caring teacher who knows how to guide us well. What’s cool about her teaching style is that she’s not super strict, but she still helps us improve and corrects us when we need it.

Valentina, Student

 

10/10. Awesome teaching! Miss Rachel has helped me improve a lot in my violin journey, and I personally think she helped me grow a lot when I begun playing violin. I also think that she is DEFINITELY a MUCH more patient teacher when it comes to students- she can even deal with students with shorter attention-spans than a fly! (Aka me) Jokes aside, Miss Rachel is generally an awesome teacher, and will definitely help YOU improve YOUR violin playing too. Metaphorical musical superhero. Saved my awful playing. 

Luna, Student (who never had awful playing! - from Ms Rachel!)