My name is Wilma, and I have been playing the cello for most of my life. I am passionate about teaching, and have a lot of experience with it. In my lessons, there is a good balance between technique and musicality. Knowing how to (technically) play the cello is important for being able to express yourself on it, and making beautiful music is the reason we play! I involve my students in the process of investigating problems and experimenting with solutions. This gives people a better understanding of the challenges, and motivates them to engage with those. It is particularly interesting that every person has a different way of learning and different needs, and I enjoy tailoring my approach to each student's personality, requirements and tastes, so she or he can optimally learn. Above all, I love inspiring people, seeing them discover their own aptitude for music and growing as musicians. Playing the cello is a wonderful and fun experience and I heartily welcome anyone who would like to come on this adventure! I teach in Amsterdam on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, in Zaandam in Thursdays, and in Utrecht on Saturdays.

Hi! My name is Wilma, and I’m a professional cellist. I’ve been playing the cello for most of my life. When I was 3 years old, I saw a woman playing cello on the street, and I fell in love. A year later I started with lessons, and I’ve been enjoying this gorgeous instrument ever since. In my teaching, I look for an approach that works best for each student individually, and challenge them at their own level. Technique and musicality are equally important, and very much connected in my lessons. I approach the instrument with respect to the functioning of the body as a whole, and look for a way of playing that requires the least amount of effort and unnecessary muscular tension, so that the naturally beautiful sound of the cello can be more free to emerge. I enjoy teaching both children and adults, from beginners to advanced players. At the moment, my students are between the ages of 5-80 years, from absolute beginners to very advanced cellists.For young children, it’s important that a parent can listen along to the lessons, and help them to practice at home. A child’s lesson is different from a grown-up’s: with children I do more games, to introduce them to music in a playful manner, and allow them to get comfortable with the technique without having to think about it too much. With children I also work more auditively, e.g. by playing and singing for them and letting them copy that instead of reading notes right away. Whether you would like to learn to play the cello, refine your skills, or further develop yourself as a musician, I would be delighted to join, accompany and guide you on your musical journey. I speak English, Dutch and Afrikaans, and am happy to teach in any of these languages.