Catherine Schofield (or Ms Cathy as she is known) has taught at Junior Guildhall and Trinity Music Conservatoires and has a longstanding and thriving private teaching practice.
Simon Trentham has taught at the Junior Departments of Guildhall, Trinity Laban and the Royal Academy. As well as a popular private teaching practice he also teaches in some leading Prep. schools.
Frankie is passionate about teaching Musicianship using Kodaly,
Dalcroze and Colourstrings ideas and piano. She has taught at Junior Guildhall, and was Deputy Head of North London Colourstings. Frankie
teaches piano privately and music at Copenhagen Primary School.
Catherine Schofield (or Ms Cathy as she is known) has taught at Junior Guildhall and Trinity Music Conservatoires and has a longstanding and thriving private teaching practice. She loves inspiring younger string players and over the years found it rewarding to see them progress into fully fledged young musicians with some going onto musical studies at University and College level.
For many years Ms Cathy has been very interested in using both the Kodaly inspired Hungarian system of music education and Dalcroze movement based musicianship in her teaching. She has gained certificates for training in both disciplines. Alongside this Catherine is passionate about the importance of chamber music. She is a founder member of the renowned Bridge String Quartet, established over 30 years ago, and has freelanced with English Chamber Orchestra, English Touring Opera, Glyndebourne Touring Orchestra and Primavera- to name a few. She coaches regularly not only on Bridge Quartet courses but also for Dartington Summer Music and Pro Corda Music courses.
The Saturday morning Stringendo Music Classes were set up over 5 years ago in West London with Guildhall and Trinity Music Conservatoires colleague and cellist Simon Trentham. Its holistic ethos of musical training for youngsters with an emphasis on singing, movement and chamber music ensemble skills seems to bring together all that Ms Cathy considers as the essence of the developing musician
Simon Trentham has taught at the Junior Departments of Guildhall, Trinity Laban and the Royal Academy. As well as a popular private teaching practice he also teaches in some leading Prep. schools. While having a clear understanding of how to enable his students to have comprehensive technique Simon engages his students right from the start in a conversational, expressive and imaginative musical journey.
The benefits of Kodaly in music education are undisputed and Simon has been studying Kodaly’s approach for many years. He is a keen arranger of chamber music for his students, particularly focusing on exciting and interesting cello and viola parts for the younger players. Chamber music should be the place where all music learning comes together and having strong relationships with a like minded group of peers is invaluable.
As cellist he performs regularly in the River of Music concert series in both duos, trios and quartets and he spent ten years as the cellist for the Garden Opera company.
“Having talented pupils only means you are lucky. Engaging and persuading them so they make the most of what they have is where you earn your reputation as a good teacher”
Frankie is passionate about teaching Musicianship using Kodaly,
Dalcroze and Colourstrings ideas and piano. She has taught at Junior
Guildhall, and was Deputy Head of North London Colourstings. Frankie
teaches piano privately and music at Copenhagen Primary School.
Frankie has ABRSM LRSM in Piano teaching and an MSc in
Psychoanalytic Developmental Psychology.
Frankie has 3 grown up daughters who all studied at Junior Music
colleges from a young age. Frankie’s own interest and study of teaching
musicianship originated from sharing and witnessing their musical
learning paths. Her daughters went on to take leading roles in school
and university orchestras and quartets, making many friends and her
oldest daughter works professionally as an opera singer.
Frankie believes in teaching music in an integrated way and taking the child on a
musical journey. Using Kodaly principles her classes aim to develop a
child’s inner hearing so that their singing and playing comes from the
heart rather than the intellect. A child who plays before he sings may remain unmusical for a lifetime. That is why we encounter so many skilful pianists who have no idea of the essence of music.
Frankie performs at Piano Masterclass Summer Schools in France run
by Paul Roberts, and is also a regular tutor on Holiday Music. She has a
very lively dog called Albie and enjoys wild water swimming.