Sue Aston: Violin  BA Honours GBSM ABSM (Performance) ABSM (Teaching)

Click here for violin teaching tips  and performing tips

as featured on Classic FM  Watch DVD clips

Call 01736-719342  Email

Private violin and piano tuition

'I took up the piano in my late twenties, but gave up when I had children.  Ten years on I decided to continue learning the piano.  In a short period of time, Sue Aston has taught me how to play with confidence and with feeling, and most importantly, the lessons are fun and relaxed'.  Jackie Woolley Piano Student

Sue Aston has appeared on professional classical recordings, radio broadcasts, and television, both nationally and internationally, and worked with eminent musicians such as: Simon Rattle, Nigel Kennedy (violin), Peter Donohoe, Yehudi Menuhin, Sir Charles Groves,  Esa Pekka Salonen, Gordon Giltrap and Chris De Burgh. She has supported the brilliant Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick.

'Katie has made a marked improvement with her piano lessons under the excellent tuition of  Sue Aston.  Sue, with her enthusiastic and friendly approach, makes piano lessons fun and enjoyable.  She has an excellent rapport with her students.

Sue has a way of encouraging her students to do well.  Katie has always been keen to practice the homework Sue has set without it being a chore.  Sue has always made Katie’s lessons as varied as possible, slotting in the occasional ‘chart’ hit in addition to examination pieces.

I cannot praise Sue highly enough.  Katie has improved dramatically over the last couple of years.  She is now reading music fluently and will attempt any piece of music with confidence.  Sue has given Katie an excellent grounding for which I am eternally grateful.' Lisa Smith

Sponsored link : Violins, Cellos & Basses on abcaz.

Sue Aston Violin and piano

On holiday in Cornwall? Why not book a lesson with Sue Aston and use the Cornish landscape to inspire your playing

Violin and Piano Tuition Holiday Tuition

What I am offering is tuition to children or adults who are already on holiday, and who want to take the opportunity to immerse themselves in music for an hour or so in the morning or early afternoon, before going on to enjoy the rest of their family holiday for the remainder of the day. 

For example, as I teach both violin and beginner level piano, you may perhaps like an hours lesson, split between half an hour each on both instruments.

Is there anything in particular that you would like to achieve with your playing, that I could help you with?

For example, would you like to broaden your playing with duet work, or is there an area of your technique that you would like to concentrate on?

Just having some new music to work on while you are away can make a difference.

This is something I would have liked to have done myself when I was a student, so if you are interested in having a course of lessons, then please let me know.

If you wanted to book for a block of lessons then you may pay by cheque, visa or Mastercard.

Please email me for further info, or you may ring me on 01736 719342.

Sue Aston Biography

Birmingham Conservatoire

1987 A.B.S.M. Violin Teaching Diploma – With Merit

1988 B.A. Honours Degree in Music – Second Class, Division One

1989 A.B.S.M. Violin Performing Diploma – With Distinction

1989 G.B.S.M.  Specialism in Performing studies - Distinction in Practical Performance

Playing experience

Member of various Conservatoire orchestras, including:

Symphony Orchestra – Principal 2^nd Violin and Deputy Leader

Chamber Orchestra - Principal 2^nd Violin and Deputy Leader

String Orchestra

Baroque Orchestra – Leader

Opera Orchestra – Principal 2^nd Violin and Deputy Leader

New String Orchestra – Leader for a concert at the Imperial College , London , with a performance of ‘Variations on a theme by Thomas Tallis’, by Vaughan Williams

Soloist – with the Conservatoire Chamber Orchestra at Birmingham Cathedral, for a performance of Vivaldi’s concerto for four violins.

Competitions

1988 – Finalist in the Sylvia Cleaver Chamber Music competition, with a performance of Yuji Takahashi’s work ‘For you I sing this song’

1989 – Runner up in the B.M.I. String finals

1990 – I represented the Conservatoire in the Shell / L.S.O. String competition, and also in the British Music Society Awards for Strings

Professional playing experience

Since graduating from the Birmingham Conservatoire in 1989, I have freelanced with the following orchestras: The D’oyly Carte Opera Company, The Cotswold Sinfonia and Orchestra Da Camera – with whom I took part in a documentary about the composer Rodriguez.  This was entitled ‘Shadows and Light’, and was filmed by a Canadian film crew and broadcast on Channel Four.  I have also played for Peter Donohoes’ Corinthian Orchestra, and work included a televised concert which formed part of the Jersey Music Festival. We also took part in the Solihull Music Festival, and also performed at Coombe Abbey to provide music for an outdoor firework display.

As a soloist, I worked with the Australian guitarist Pete Hawkes, which involved supporting Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick at a concert at Whitby Pavilion Theatre, as well as playing at various folk clubs. This provided me with a wealth of experience, as I had only one week to learn music from two of his albums.  We were working as a duet, and there was no sheet music available.

I have, and still continue, to lead various string quartets which perform at weddings and social functions.  My own ensemble is ‘Classical Strings’, and has its own website, www.classicalstrings.co.uk  I have also worked as a soloist for a wedding proposal!

Professional recordings

‘The Marshes of Glynn’ and ‘Centenary Firedances’, by Andrew Downes. While still at the Conservatoire, I was a soprano in the chorus for ‘The Marshes of Glynn’, and for the ‘Centenary Firedances’, I was Deputy Leader of the orchestra.

• ‘Abandon Hope’, an EP by ‘The Liberty Thieves.  I was leader of a string quartet which accompanied an Indie band.

• ‘Music for the Small Screen’, by Gordon Giltrap. I was featured as a soloist on Gordon’s CD, on the track ‘The Unbroken Promise’. The album also featured Brian May, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, and Midge Ure.

• ‘Quiet Revolution’, by Chris de Burgh.  I was a member of the first violin section for ‘The Heart of England Philharmonic’, which provided backing music on four tracks for the recording of this CD.

• ‘Sacred Landscapes’, by Sue Aston. This was my first solo CD which was a collection of sixteen tracks which I wrote after drawing inspiration from the Cornish landscape.  The instruments I use are violin and keyboard.  Gordon Giltrap is featured as the guitarist on two tracks, and my husband, Phil – who co wrote a couple of the tracks - plays guitar on the others.

• ‘Inspirational Journey’, by Sue Aston. This is my follow up CD, and again is composed as a tribute to Cornwall .  The work consists of ten tracks, and is the result of a collaboration with Mark Lane , who produced and recorded the album with me.