Learn to play viola or violin, take up your playing again, or refine your existing skills further! I offer one-to-one lessons in viola and violin playing. I have over 20 years of performing and over 10 years of teaching experience and am currently working as viola and violin teacher at the East Helsinki Music Institute and the Lappeenranta Music School. I have also in-depth knowledge of working as an ensemble coach and improvisation teacher. I teach all ages. Alongside teaching, I’m playing as a freelancer in orchestras in Finland and abroad, frequently as section leader. I have a Master of Music Degree from both the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. My interests in different musical styles are broad, and I’ve been involved in many cross-arts collaborations. I’m a German and British national, currently living in Finland. Whilst German is my mother tongue, I speak English and Finnish fluently. You can choose the length of the class - 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 60 minutes, or 90 minutes. Additional material such as marked scores, exercise sheets, personal plans, and access to teaching videos are included in the lessons.

I’m a professional violist and have been improvising since I was a child. Nowadays, I perform with various improvisation ensembles and have been collaborating with theatre, dance, and film projects. I co-founded ”Kaipuu” FESTIVAL OF SILENT FILM AND IMPROVISED SOUND in 2018. I’ve been taught in Classical Improvisation by Prof. David Dolan at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London during 2010-2015 whilst completing my Bachelor's and Masters studies. Further studies followed at the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts, Helsinki. I also took part in numerous conferences and courses such as the METRIC International Conference for Improvisation in The Hague in 2017. I’ve held numerous improvisation courses at the East Helsinki Music Institute. Improvisation is the best way for anyone to explore more - about themselves, about others, about the world around you. According to your level of experience, the content will be tailored to your specific wishes and going at a pace that challenges you but builds on positive experiences. We will push past ”limitations” that we tend to impose on ourselves and travel on the road of creative freedom. Depending on your personal interests, we will discover different areas of musical improvisation and explore a common mindset that will help you in all areas of life. Some of the areas we can explore together are: - improvising on scales, ground bass, harmonic progressions, multi-part improvisation, tonal and tonally free improvisation, modulation - improvising within Classical forms such as Minuets, Rondos, Sonata-form - improvising to text, images or silent film - improvising within musical repertoire (including cadenzas and ornamentations) - improvising in between or ahead of pieces (Preludes/ Interludes) - Practice habits that incorporate an improvisational, more creative mindset - Improvisational exercises to help with audition/concert preparation, enhance performance and reduce anxiety