More than one string to her bow

The violinist on virtual teaching, playing Elgar and lobbying the Government

- Claire Jackson

A PATCHWORK of string players waves and smiles at the camera. The participants, aged two to 92, are dotted across the world, from Scotland to Siberia. A cat peers over a music stand as one young musician wrestles with a tricky phrase, trying to emulate the posture demonstrated by the violinist on his phone. His music teacher is international soloist and educator Nicola Benedetti. Students are not using YouTube videos—Miss Benedetti is there, on the screen in real time, talking directly to 7,159 participants from 66 countries as part of the Virtual Benedetti Sessions.

We may be seeing a reoccurrence of a need for emotional complexity

The sessions were not intended to be delivered this way. The series is part of a project launched by the Benedetti Foundation, which has already hosted large-scale, in-person workshops in Glasgow, London and Dundee. The foundation’s strapline is ‘unite, inspire, educate’ and the lessons are open to musicians at every level.

‘We were about to head to Northern Ireland for the next leg. When we realised that wasn’t possible, we launched the virtual sessions,’ explains Miss Benedetti. ‘We’ve been overwhelmed at the response. I’d even claim that the project has prevented a number of people from giving up their instruments. It’s very gratifying.’