Julia Morneweg
My passion for teaching began in my late teens, as a student at the Royal College of Music. Now, more than 20 years later, I run a busy teaching studio in South West London, work online with students across the globe and regularly give masterclasses and workshops both in the UK as well as internationally.
Since the earliest days of my career, performing and teaching have been inextricably linked for me. The challenge of deconstructing processes into their most minuscule component parts and explaining them in a way that is easy to understand develops my playing and makes my question musical ideas in a way that no amount of practice ever could, fuelling my passion for sharing the knowledge that I have gained from performing at the highest level in solo, chamber and orchestral settings for more than two decades.
I have a profound interest in the history of string teaching, particularly in the Russian school of playing which has produced many of today's finest performers.
It is my aim to continuously nurture my students' love of music while equipping them with the highest level of technique from their very first lesson. I pay particular attention to the correct use of the entire body, thus preventing the formation of bad habits and potential later injury. It is at the very outset of a musician's training that good foundations need to be laid that will enable swift progress later on.
I work with a broad range of students, from gifted young children at the start of their musical journey to postgraduates preparing to enter the music profession and adults simply wanting to take their cello playing to the next level. I also work with professional players looking to resolve specific issues, such as post-injury rehabilitation requiring alterations to their technical setup.
Nothing gives me greater pride and satisfaction than seeing the exceptional results my students achieve, be that excellent exam results, audition success and competition wins, or somebody simply feeling fully comfortable and confident on the cello for the first time in their lives!
Masterclasses & Workshops
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Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama
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Cyprus Youth Symphony Orchestra
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Music for the Future (Slovenia)
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Enterprise Scotland
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Royal College of Music Summer School
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Tanglin Trust School, Singapore
Schools my students have won scholarships to
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St Paul's Girls School
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St Paul's Boys School
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Godolphin & Latymer
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Alleyn's
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Putney High School
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Latymer
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Sevenoaks
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JAGS
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Channing
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Wimbledon High School
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Francis Holland School
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Trinity
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Whitgift
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Hornsby House
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Cobham Free School
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Kingsdale Foundation School
Face-to-Face Lessons in London
My London class is strictly limited to a fixed number of slots to ensure I can offer a very high degree of lesson regularity. Vacancies open up periodically, so if you are interested in a regular slot, please contact me to enquire about availability and terms. (Ad-hoc sessions are possible, but subject to more limited availability.)
1-2-1 Online Lessons
Online lessons are perfect for you if you either have a one-off issue you wish to resolve or you really wish to take your playing to the next level with regular lessons. You don't need any special equipment - a laptop or tablet will suffice. I mainly use FaceTime and Skype for my online teaching. Once you have purchased either a single lesson or a bundle, I will be in touch with you to arrange lessons at a mutually convenient time.
I have been training with Julia, once sometimes twice a week, for the last 18 months. Her dedication to excellence has hooked me. Building the basics methodically, whether it be intonation, rhythm, bowing or left-hand shape has been challenging , yes. But the results have been outsized. My foundation has solidified and I finally feel that things are coming together. There have been times when I just wanted to be able to knock out pieces and get exams under my belt. But now when I approach a new piece, one much harder than I ever imagined being able to play well, I approach it with confidence. Julia has honed my playing in ways I could not envisage. I look forward to many more years of her careful training to take me to where I need to be with the cello. On a personal note, Julia is effervescent, brilliantly clever, insightful and patient. Choosing Julia as my teacher and staying the course is one of the best life decisions I have ever made.
Chris G, UK
Live Online Workshops
Don't have the budget for regular lessons? Would love some new practice ideas? You would like to meet like-minded cellists from around the world? Then Julia's Cello Cafe, my new monthly online meet-up is just the ticket for you! In these 75-minute sessions, we will each time devote roughly half an hour to a specific technical topic with explanations and exercises and afterwards, I will open the floor to questions, where you can ask me to look at any problem you might have and we will talk about it together in a fun and informal way!
Julia's Cello Cafe - AugustSun 03 AugZOOM
Julia's Cello Cafe - JulySun 06 JulZOOM- Julia's Cello Cafe - JuneSun 01 JunZOOM
"I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Julia’s monthly Cello Cafe and I always look forward to the next. Julia comes prepared with a new topic for each session, full of enthusiasm, musicality and not to mention great tips. Julia encourages attendees to experiment in real time, and leaves plenty of time for open q&a. I'm very excited to see the Cello Cafe grow and develop over time as we traverse the cello journey. Thanks, Julia!"
Les S, Mexico
"I find your Cello Cafe a relaxing, informative way to get lessons. I learn from others' questions and experiences as well. You preparing a lesson each session in perfect. I can participate as much or as little as I like and I always get wonderful things to take away and add to my practice. Thank you, Julia"
Clarence R, USA
"I just attended my first cello cafe and can highly recommend it. Julia offered clear explanations on how to produce a variety of sound colors and a system of how to do it. Great tools for my musical tool belt.
It was fun to hear the questions from other cellists, too. Very warm and welcoming. And so affordable too!"
Cathie L, USA
""As an adult beginner of 8 months, the monthly Cello Café is a very valuable resource for me. It always has precise and clear instructions for excercises to a specific topic you can easily incorporate in your daily practising and I always feel like they help me a lot to improve my playing. While also having private lessons in person, I feel that Julia is a great teachers, has a very good understanding of all the struggles of Cello students and can explain things in an easy to understand way. Because of that, the question section of the workshop where you can ask any questions that came up in your practising, also helped me several times, for example to reduce left hand pain due to my "death grip". I'm really glad that this format exists and also the price is very affordable."
Rene S, Germany