Claire Garner’s love of music started when she began playing the violin at the age of 8.  By age 15 she achieved grade 8 violin with distinction and continued expanding her musical knowledge by also learning to play Piano, Viola, Cello, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Tenor Horn and, most recently, Drums!

Teaching the violin is her absolute greatest passion.  She began teaching violin at the age of 17 whilst still at school, and since then she has taught a wide range of students, from age 3 to age 87 and from complete beginners to working for ABRSM grade 8.

She has experience of teaching violin and piano to students with both learning difficulties and physical disabilities, and takes a keen interest in learning how to adapt her teaching methods to make sure everybody can have a chance to make the most out of music. She has taught violin both privately and for an established music school (Abbey Music in Merton Abbey Mills).  In 2011 she decided to take her violin tutoring to the next level and establish her own business – Fine Tuning Music Tuition.

Claire firmly believes that orchestras are a vital part of classical musical education. She herself began playing in the Redditch Youth Orchestra at the age of 9, then led the Stratford-Upon-Avon Music Centre Orchestra and has also been a member of the Midland Youth Orchestra (MYO), Central England Ensemble, Imperial College Symphony Orchestra and Haslemere Symphony Orchestra. She has also played Violin, Viola and Cello with several string quartets over the years.

The skills required to play as part of an ensemble are something that Claire is dedicated to communicating, and she will incorporate them into lessons whenever possible. In addition, she has organised a number of ensemble sessions (particularly around Christmas) and is now achieving a long-held ambition by running the Chertsey Orchestra (launched on 10th January 2017) to promote and teach ensemble playing in the local area.