Eleanor Nichol
Woodwind Teacher and Musician
Teaching
Music teaching is something I am really passionate about and I offer lessons in Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone and Music Theory for all ages. Most students have lessons on a weekly basis for either 30 minutes, 45 minutes or 1 hour. Arrangements can also be made for fortnightly lessons or group lessons, if you have any specific requirments please don't hesitate to get in touch. Lessons are also available through some of the school holiday periods. I have an up-to-date DBS certificate (formerly CRB) and am a registered private teacher with the ISM. I aim to make my lessons fun and catered specifically to each individual student and their goals, whether that be wanting to work through graded exams, just playing for fun, returning to music or anything in between! For students who wish to take graded exams I primarily teach from the ABRSM syllabus but also use Trinity with some students. I have a 100% pass rate in exam results for students who have taken exams under my tuition.
I am based in the Bristol area and offer lessons primarily from my home studio in Brislington (BS4). I do travel to teach some of my students, at a further cost. If enquiring about lessons at your home please mention the area you live in when you get in touch. I also offer lessons from my base in Nailsea Music Shop on a Tuesday and Thursday afternoon and evening, please contact them directly to arrange a lesson in this area.
Lesson fees are the same for all instruments and abilities. Payment for lessons at my home studio is available pay as you go so no need to pay for a whole term at once unless you would prefer to do so.
Fees at my home studio | £30 - 1 hour, £22.50 - 45 minutes, £15 - 30 minutes
Fees for lessons at your home | £32 - 1 hour, £24 - 45 minutes, £18 - 30 minutes
Fees for lessons at Nailsea Music Shop | £18 - 30 minutes, paid in half term blocks
Current Availability:
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I have space for daytime lessons on most weekdays at my home studio.
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I have afternoon/evening spaces on Monday, Wednesday and Friday available at my home studio.
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I have spaces available on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon and evening at Nailsea Music Shop.
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I have some availability for Saturday morning and afternoon lessons in Bristol.
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I currently have no spaces for new students having lessons in their own home in Bristol.
Flute
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As a specialist flute teacher I teach all abilities of student from those just beginning to post grade 8 level. I am experienced with a wide range of repertoire and encourage students to develop their general musicianship through aural and theory tasks as well as building confidence with the instrument using tools such as improvisation.
For young children who are interested in taking up the flute but are too small to comfortably play a full size flute I also offer fife lessons. A fife is like a sideways recorder which is usually made of plastic and can be purchased in good music shops for around £10, a great option for younger students.
Clarinet and Saxophone
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l also teach clarinet and alto saxophone from beginner to around grade 5 standard for all ages. As with all of my lessons, aural and theory will be integrated alongside building confidence with the technique of the instrument and experiencing a variety of repertoire.
For young children who are too small for their instrument of choice I offer recorder lessons through which we can build musical knowledge that can be expanded upon when they are able to move onto their chosen reed instrument. Please get in touch if you are unsure about the suitability of your child to an instrument as we can arrange for a consultation lesson where they can experience the options and we can discuss the suitability of the instrument for their size.
Music Theory​
l also teach music theory from beginner to grade 5 standard for all ages. An understanding of music theory is an asset to any musician as it enhances your understanding of how the music you are playing is constructed and why. For students who already study an instrument with me theory can often be incorporated into a longer lesson length. Alternatively extra lessons can be arranged to study the theory outside of your normal instrumental lessons. If you are interested in only undertaking theory lessons with me, perhaps to complement some practical lessons on another instrument then I am more than happy to arrange this.
For those who are taking ABRSM practical exams it is a requirement to have passed Grade 5 theory before taking practical Grades 6-8. I do have experience with the ABRSM theory materials and can help tutor you through to pass your Grade 5 exam. With many of my students this is their primary aim and I am more than happy to lead you up to Grade 5 without requiring you to take the intermediate exams that preceed it. I have a 100% pass rate for students who have taken exams following my tuition. If you have any questions on theory tuition get in touch and I will be happy to provide more information.
Testimonials
Flute Tutor at RWCMD
Eleanor has a natural insight into the responsibilities, challenges and rewards she will encounter as a teacher. She communicates very well, and speaks enthusiastically about her own experiences as a teacher. My impression is that she wishes her teaching to be "holistic" rather than merely instructional - interacting with students person-to-person with a view to promoting a productive and enjoyable learning experience.
Adult Flute Student
I am an adult student and Eleanor has been my flute teacher for two years. I really enjoy and appreciate her teaching style: interactive, flexible and inspiring. She can quickly find out a student's strength and weakness and give him/her suggestions on how to practice to achieve the goal. She helped me to look at practice from a different angle: enjoy the music and let the feeling flow. I would highly recommend Eleanor.
Adult Clarinet Student
I started to learn the clarinet as a complete beginner at the age of 27. I have been having lessons with Eleanor for the past 18 months and I would thoroughly recommend her as a woodwind teacher. Not only does Eleanor have an indepth knowledge of music, she is able to adapt her lessons to the individual needs of the student. She is very patient and enabled me to practice things in multiple different ways, to ensure that I had a good grasp of difficult concepts. Eleanor has supported my choice to progress in my clarinet playing without doing exams. She allows me to direct the type of music we practice and this has made learning to play the clarinet very enjoyable.
Parent of Flute and Saxophone Pupils
Very patient, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and thoughtful teacher; both children have progressed a good deal just in a couple of weeks. Highly recommended.
Parent of Flute Pupil
I can't recommend Eleanor highly enough. She tutored my son for some extra flute lessons over the summer holidays with the aim of keeping his playing going and to give him back the enjoyment he had lost. She was wonderful: enthusiastic, lively and personable, but also an excellent technical teacher who very quickly identified areas for improvement and taught him new techniques in a fun and approachable manner. My son looked forward greatly to the sessions and the improvement in his playing after just one was more than apparent.
Flute Pupil
I have always enjoyed my lessons with Eleanor as she makes learning the flute fun and exciting. When I find things hard she always encourages me and tell me I can do it. I especially enjoy it when we play duets.
Parent of Flute Pupil
My daughter really enjoys her flute lessons with Eleanor. She always ends on a positive note which makes her want to practice all the time until her next lesson comes around! It is lovely to hear the duets they play!
Adult Flute Pupil
I had been playing the flute (self taught) for a number of years but my progress had been slow. Eleanor soon discovered the bad habits I had developed and patiently set about correcting them.... Eleanor makes her lessons interesting, informative, fun and creative. She gives you 'homework' and ensures when she finishes her lesson that you have understood what has been taught and what needs to be practiced. For me Eleanor helped improve all aspects of my playing ability but above all she gave me the confidence to play the instrument properly. Thoroughly recommend her.
Adult Saxophone Pupil
I found Eleanor very thorough and descriptive when teaching me the basic notes and keys of the saxophone. She was also very good and patient in teaching me how to read music and in helping me to understand the basic principles involved. She made the lessons interesting and fun and yet still retained structure in her tuition. She clearly has a passion for music and demonstrates a very good aptitude for teaching. Her communication skills are excellent which she supports with practical demonstrations. I have no hesitation in recommending Eleanor in her capacity as a music teacher as she is a very capable and professional tutor.
