Strings

Emma Coleman

BMus (Hons) (Cello, Violin)

Emma began violin lessons at 13 whilst living in Texas, and a year later started cello tuition. She recently completed a BMus(Hons) degree at Canterbury Christ Church University where she studied Cello as her principal instrument and violin as a secondary study. Emma is an experienced performer and has performed in a wide range of chamber ensembles (string quartet, piano trio etc), orchestral work and some solo performances. She now teaches at several schools in the area and at the NMC.

Catherine Geldard

BMus (Hons) MMus (Violin & Viola)

Catherine grew up performing and playing in sessions on the Shetland Isles. She began learning the fiddle at age 5 before winning the local fiddle competition at 11. She was also one of the first people to complete grade 8 in traditional fiddle. Catherine moved to the North East 7 years ago to complete an undergraduate and then a master’s degree in composition and performance at Newcastle University. Now she teaches fiddle in schools across the North East and is in her second year of teaching at Shetland’s Fiddle Frenzy. In addition to teaching, Catherine is also a regular performer around the area and beyond, participating in folk festivals from Shetland to Devon and over the sea to Norway.

Laura Stutter Garcia

BMus (Hons) (Violin)

Laura began learning music at the age of 6 by joining a choir, singing as a soprano until the age of 18 and enrolling in choir competitions such as the Graz World Choir Championship. She started her classical conservatoire career at the age of 9 and finished twelve years of Spanish classical education, specialising in viola performance but also touching on jazz improvisation and learning piano as a second instrument.  She graduated from Newcastle University with a BMus in Music in 2017, tutored by Michael Gerrard, viola of the Northern Sinfonia but also learning Indian Classical music and finally majoring in electroacoustic composition. During this education she spent a year abroad in Italy at the Conservatorio di Musica F. Morlacchi doing composition with Edgar Alandia and Alessio Sabella. 

She is now a freelance composer and teacher as well as live musician, often using her viola and her violin for her compositions. She is currently doing a radio drama for the BBC NewCreatives Programme, a Masters in Creative Arts Practice and teaching viola and violin, drawing from all of her practices to give a comprehensive education to her students. 

Her teaching approach prioritises the student’s desires but also draws special attention to technique, in order to develop a confident skill on the instrument. She firmly believes in music’s therapeutic value as well as being the headspring for discipline and creativity.

Katerina Bunting

BMus(Hons) (Violin)

Katerina began her musical training in St. Petersburg at the age of 6, studying violin as her primary instrument, and the piano as a secondary instrument. Upon moving to England, she was taught privately before continuing her studies at the Centre for Advanced Training at the Sage Gateshead. At this time Katerina was also a part of the Young Sinfonia orchestra which gave her the opportunity to travel to and give performances in different countries. Katerina graduated with a BMUS (Hons) degree from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where she gained a lot of performing experience (solo, ensemble and orchestral), got to view and participate in a number of events and classes with many different artists, and was also given the opportunity to study abroad. Katerina now teaches privately and at schools, and also enjoys performing.

Sam Baxter

BA (Hons) (Violin)

Sam is a versatile violinist and fiddler with experience in Scottish, Irish, English and Norwegian fiddle styles and over time has developed a musical repertoire spanning Europe.

Sam began playing the violin at the age of 7, focussing on classical music. As time went on, he became a familiar face in his local classical music scene, frequently performing in local classical music ensembles and creating groups of his own. Through his studies and continued playing, he has developed a love for early music, the baroque period and is especially interested in musics where folk and classical intersect.

Sam has a first-class degree from Newcastle University’s prestigious Folk and Traditional music course where he specialised in traditional fiddle and traditional voice performance. He also studied traditional Norwegian fiddle and Hardanger-fiddle at the University of South-Eastern Norway where he discovered his love for Scandinavian fiddle styles.

As a teacher, Sam tailors each session to his pupils; curating the time they spend together to best develop the theoretical, technical and artistic elements of their playing in both classical and folk styles.  Sam can help develop a student’s skills in a range of areas, including: sight reading, music theory, learning by ear, reading sheet music, composition, improvisation, exploring new styles/repertoires, performance skills/stage craft, phrasing, physical technique/comfort and working towards ABRSM music exams or similar. Sam endeavours to help each student develop their own voice in their music making and ultimately enjoy themselves and have fun in the process.

Laurence Harrison

BMus (Hons)

Laurence Harrison is an experienced and encouraging music teacher who was introduced to music at the age of 5 when he began learning the violin. Laurence started playing the piano at 12 and later guitar at the age of 14 and was awarded a scholarship to the Purcell School of Music to focus his studies on the violin. In 2008 Laurence won a scholarship to the Royal Northern College of Music to specialise in violin, before moving to London to continue his studies on guitar at the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance where he finished his Bmus music degree.

Laurence is a well respected guitar and violin teacher and performs in a professional capacity understanding a broad range of musical genres and styles of contemporary music. Laurence taught at one of West London’s leading schools for music; the Music House for Children, in Shepherds Bush for over 8 years, teaching individual and group lessons and can inspire people in a fun and rewarding way. Laurence has performed in many notable venues such as Wigmore hall, Queen Elizabeth hall, Ronnie Scotts and closer to home theSage Gateshead. Laurence is also a keen chess player and was invited onto the British team in 2018.

Merle Harbron

BA (Hons)

Merle began learning classical music at a young age and around the age of sixteen began exploring other genres such as folk, jazz and improvisation. After performing regularly in numerous ensembles in Argyll & Bute, Glasgow and Inverness, Merle gained experience and opportunities to perform at both large and small venues. Merle gained a degree in Folk and Traditional Music at Newcastle University to further hone her skills and meanwhile discovered a passion for composition, which is now the driving force of her art. She is now a freelance musician and is performing regularly in an array of ensembles across the North East. Merle’s approach to teaching values creativity and comfort. Having experienced a plethora of instrumental and singing tutors herself, she has picked up the elements she found most helpful and tailored them into a unique style, which encourages expression and performance whilst elevating tone, control and technique. Merle is a firm advocate of music therapy and the benefits of music on people of all ages and backgrounds, and has started incorporating ideas of music therapy into her lessons to help with obstacles such as communication and nerves.