Violin/Viola for Beginners

Henriette studied violin with Jan Hulst (Concertgebouw Orchestra) at the Rotterdam Conservatoire in the Netherlands and graduated in 1991 with the DM exam. From 1991-1994 she continued private postgraduate violin studies with Tessa Robins-Khambatta (Royal College of Music) in London. She was a member of the Continuo Chamber Orchestra in the Netherlands and played for Dutch Television. She also holds a Masters Degree in Education from the Open University.

Henriette has taught the violin in music schools in the Netherlands and currently works as a visiting violin teacher in schools in England. She also has a private teaching practice at home. Students have gone on to specialist music schools, read music at university, have become professional violinists and viola players, have gained music scholarships and music exhibitions to schools and colleges and have won music competitions. In recent years, violin teachers have come to observe Henriette's lessons in order to enhance their own teaching. Henriette is also a contributor to The Strad Magazine's "Ask the Experts" column.

A particular strength and specific area of interest is the development of exercises designed to increase flexibility and muscle control. As Henriette herself did not start learning the violin until age 16, flexibility was not as natural as it is when children start learning the instrument from an earlier age. This initial disadvantage however turned out to be an advantage when helping others develop their violin technique.

Outstanding online violin lessons, viola lessons, cello lessons

Over the years, students and fellow teachers repeatedly asked Henriette to write a book about string playing technique. Henriette never believed though that playing a string instrument can be learned from written text or from photographs alone. This is how the idea for the online campus developed. The exercises you will find at Pro-Am Strings were developed and tested over 25 years of teaching the violin. They have been proven to produce an enhanced technique, better tone and faster learning. Having the exercises online in different formats means that, whatever your preferred learning style, there will always be something for you. This, coupled with a great team of Associate Teachers, means that we are now consistently rated as delivering outstanding online violin, viola and cello lessons by a growing community of players across the globe.

Away from work, Henriette enjoys cooking for friends, floristry, figure skating and outdoor pursuits such as road cycling and walking her dog Mac.