CelloDay 2026 Teachers

Artiste Masterclasses

Matthew Sharp

‘Virtuoso of the arts’, (The Times), Matthew Sharp, is renowned for his ‘freewheeling exuberance & blistering virtuosity‘ (BBC Record Review). He appears globally – from Glastonbury to Glyndebourne, Sydney Opera House to Wigmore Hall, Royal Festival Hall to the Knitting Factory – as solo cellist, baritone, director and educator. As a boy, he studied cello with Alexander Baillie and as an 18-year old with Boris Pergamenschikow in Cologne, with significant intervening periods spent as an autodidact and immersed in singing and theatre. Kate Beare took him to play to Jacqueline du Pré when he was 12, and Pergamenschikow made him sing to Galina Vishnewskaya when he was 18. Alongside concerto performances and recordings with major orchestras, he has performed principal roles for the Royal Opera House, Opera North, and, most recently, Sweeney Todd (title role) at the Royal Swedish Opera. He has performed principal roles at the Young Vic and National Theatre Studio, and collaborated with Kneehigh and Complicité. He starred in the award-winning short, Cacophony (London and San Francisco Film Festivals). He is an award-winning recording artist and has recorded for Sony, EMI, Decca, Naxos, Somm, NMC, Avie and Whirlwind. As a director (music, theatre and opera), he has written, conceived and directed shows for Opera North, BBC, Breakthru Films. His own music and theatre works have toured to major festivals worldwide. Following the first ‘from memory’ performance of The Protecting Veil, John Tavener discovered Matthew was also an accomplished singer and wrote him two works, Petra and The Fool. He has given over sixty world premieres by composers from all walks of music, including Errollyn Wallen’s Cello Concerto.

Senior Guest Teachers

William Bruce

A passionate music educator, William Bruce’s musical experiences have also included extensive international examining, 36 years as sub-principal cellist with the English National Opera Orchestra, a debut recital at Carnegie Hall, involvement with many aspects of the work of ABRSM, editor for a number of published cello volumes, presenting inset days for Music Services, adjudicating, workshops, masterclasses and a visiting professorship at the University of South Carolina. William has worked on music projects with Roma children in Transylvania and also in Soweto and was recently awarded an HonARAM from the Royal Academy of Music and a lifetime teaching award by the European String Teachers Association.

Ben Davies

Ben Davies’ work embraces a wide range of ensembles and styles from period performance of early music through to contemporary and popular music. From 2000-2020 he held the position of Principal Cellist with the English Touring Opera’s orchestra. He works regularly in the Theatres of London’s West End, as well as seasons with Glyndebourne and Garsington Opera. He plays on a cello made by Cornelius Kleynmann, dating from the late 17th century.

Penny Driver

Penny Driver teaches talented young cellists from all over the world on the Specialist Music programme at Wells Cathedral School and from her studio at home in North London. For many years Penny was Professor of Cello at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. She also gives Performance Classes at the Royal Academy of Music, examines at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and adjudicates at the Royal Academy and Royal College of Music. Penny studied with Ralph Kirshbaum, whilst taking a degree in Russian at Cambridge University, and as a postgraduate at the Royal Northern College of Music. She completed her studies in the USA with Marc Johnson of the Vermeer Quartet and in Moscow with legendary Russian teacher Natalia Shakhovskaya. She has had a long association with the London Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, performing all over the world with such conductors as Valery Gergiev, Sir Colin Davis, Sir Simon Rattle. As a recitalist and chamber musician she has performed throughout the UK, Europe and the USA.

Professor Alfia Nakipbekova

Professor Alfia Nakipbekova is an internationally acclaimed soloist, chamber musician and pedagogue. She studied with Rostropovich, Daniil Shafran and Jacqueline du Pré. Alfia won several prizes at international competitions including the Special Award for Outstanding Mastery of the Cello at the Casals Competition in Budapest. Alfia has performed in numerous festivals in the UK, Europe, USA, Middle East, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong and has given cello and chamber music master classes in the UK and internationally. Alfia’s extensive discography includes major chamber music and solo repertoire on Chandos, WCM, BIS and Toccata Classics. ‘She was wonderful, delivering one of the most beautiful, poignant performances of Elgar’s concerto that I have ever witnessed in concert’ – Margarita Mota-Bull, Performance of Elgar Cello Concerto with London Philharmonic Orchestra, Cadogan Hall. ‘Nakipbekova has the technical mastery truly to realize her vision of these sublime masterpieces’ – Stephen Greenbank, Recording of the JS Bach Six Cello Suites, WCM.

Helen Neilson

Helen Neilson is a highly experienced cello teacher who has been producing results of excellence with students aged 4 – 18 over more than 20 years, and enjoys having classes of happy cello students across a range of learning environments. She teaches cello and is Head of Strings at Latymer Upper School, and is a regular cello teacher at St Paul’s Girls’ School and the Aldgate School. She runs a thriving teaching practice based in South London, with a cello group programme, “Our Cello Community”, in Wandsworth Town. Helen has regularly led large scale cello events for the London Cello Society since 2011, including on their annual Cello Days at the Royal Academy of Music and leading Adventures with our Cellos events for young cellists with Thomas Gregory. She regularly leads large-scale events for the Suzuki community, at venues including Cadogan Hall and Duke’s Hall, and performed in the Suzuki Gala concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. Helen has taught on many holiday courses including South London Youth Orchestra, CelloFest and LSG Bryanston International Summer School. She plays on an old English cello named “Phoenix”.

Alexandra Mackenzie

Alexandra Mackenzie (www.alexandramackenzie.co.uk) is internationally recognised as an outstanding performer and educator. After obtaining First Class honours from the Royal Academy of Music and Manhattan School of Music she spent eight years in New York. Her extraordinary range as a performer is demonstrated by her work with the legendary S.E.M. Ensemble; playing with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra; touring with a ragtime band; recording for Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson and the Wu Tang Clan. She has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Weill Hall and Alice Tully and played concerts in 43 of America’s 50 States. She has been a guest artist at the Banff Centre for the Arts, a Fellow at Tanglewood, and has participated in chamber music festivals across the globe. Live radio broadcasts include Radio 3, Classic FM, NPR and German National Radio. Alexandra has played with the English Chamber Orchestra for over a decade and is in frequent demand as a guest principal with orchestras across the UK. She has always been a champion of lesser-known and contemporary repertoire and her recent CD (‘Beyond Twilight’), of unknown works by female composers, debuted at no. 18 in the classical charts, garnered 4 stars in ‘The Scotsman’ and was voted CD of the year in the Yorkshire Post. Alexandra teaches at the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music and was elected an ARAM in 2011.

Robert Max

Robert Max has given recitals and performed concertos throughout the UK, Europe, Russia and the USA. He was cellist of the Barbican Piano Trio for 35 years and was principal cellist of the London Chamber Orchestra and Artistic Director of the Frinton Festival. Robert teaches at the Junior Academy and coaches chamber music at MusicWorks. He conducts the Oxford Symphony and North London Symphony Orchestras and last year made his operatic debut conducting Noah Max’s A Child in Striped Pyjamas at the Brundibar Festival. His recording of Bach’s Cello Suites was released by Guildmusic in 2020 to critical acclaim.

Junior Guest Tutors

Lara Moore

Lara Moore has gained a reputation as a leading teacher of many young cellists over the last 20 years. Lara studied with Gillian Thoday, at Chetham’s School of Music. She then continued her studies with Professor David Strange and Philip Sheppard at the Royal Academy of Music. After spending some time working as a freelance cellist, her love for teaching young children gradually took over. In 1998 she was exposed to the wonderful pedagogy of Sheila Nelson which inspired her to work and train as an apprentice alongside Wendy Max, Cecily Mendelssohn and Philippa Bunting on the First String Experience programme, where she has dedicated herself to the teaching of children ever since. As well as her work at the Junior Academy, she leads the String Project at South Hampstead High School for Girls, directs the North London Chamber Music course, has given seminars for the European String Teachers’ Association, and runs a thriving private teaching practice. Lara’s work with children on courses such as Stringwise, Frinton-on-Sea, and Music in Progress has fuelled her interest in holistic musical training, and she particularly enjoys working with children in the earliest stages of learning, setting them up physically and mentally as they grow, mature and flourish into young teenagers. Lara strives to tailor her teaching to specifically nurture and fit the needs of each individual pupil. She passes on the experience she has had working in masterclasses with Paul Watkins, Heinrich Schiff, Zara Nelsova, Ralph Kirshbaum, Raphael Wallfisch and Mats Lidström. Many of her students have gone on to win places in the National Youth and National Children’s Orchestras, and to secure scholarships at junior and senior level at London conservatoires and prestigious schools.

Helen Neilson

Helen Neilson is a highly experienced cello teacher who has been producing results of excellence with students aged 4 – 18 over more than 20 years, and enjoys having classes of happy cello students across a range of learning environments. She teaches cello and is Head of Strings at Latymer Upper School, and is a regular cello teacher at St Paul’s Girls’ School and the Aldgate School. She runs a thriving teaching practice based in South London, with a cello group programme, “Our Cello Community”, in Wandsworth Town. Helen has regularly led large scale cello events for the London Cello Society since 2011, including on their annual Cello Days at the Royal Academy of Music and leading Adventures with our Cellos events for young cellists with Thomas Gregory. She regularly leads large-scale events for the Suzuki community, at venues including Cadogan Hall and Duke’s Hall, and performed in the Suzuki Gala concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. Helen has taught on many holiday courses including South London Youth Orchestra, CelloFest and LSG Bryanston International Summer School. She plays on an old English cello named “Phoenix”.

Josh Salter

Josh Salter is a freelance cellist and teacher, teaching a range of ages and stages whilst maintaining a busy schedule of performances. He teaches cello and ensembles at the Centre for Young Musicians at Morley College, Camden School for Girls and has a thriving private teaching practice. He is a director of Stringwise, a long running holiday chamber and orchestral course and is a cello coach for the National Children’s Orchestra. He performs internationally with orchestras, including Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, City of London Sinfonia, Hanover Band, BBC Philharmonic, Liverpool Philharmonic and Hallé. Chamber music performances include live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and major concert halls including Wigmore Hall and he is currently a member of the Elmfield Piano Trio regularly performing recitals across the UK. He is a Trustee of the Cherubim Music Trust and on the Advisory Board of the British Cello Society. His own studies started with lessons on Hull Music Service, moving on to Chethams School, Royal Northern College of Music and finally Royal Academy of Music, where he studied with Felix Schmidt and graduated with an MA with Distinction.