Student feedback from the 2024 Chamber Music Intensive
“The weekend gave me different ways to make my music really sound like music and brought enjoyment into the playing factor!”
“I found that I was much more comfortable with the piece that I was playing, and could understand the music more, after and during the weekend.”
“Getting to play for amazing teachers and getting the feedback is so useful! You get to work on details with them and they're all chamber music experts so they teach you so much helpful things!”
“My favourite memory is of the final concert where you get to hear how much everyone has improved since the masterclass and also just getting to share all the music you make!”
“Having lots of coaching sessions, and then having time in between to choose what we liked and didn't like was really useful. Also just having all day to practice the pieces was really helpful and after the weekend, I could hear a vast improvement in our playing.”
“I learnt so much! The tutors could explain everything so well and they talked about details that made such a difference.”
“My favourite memory is of having so much fun making beautiful music and friends.”
“The coaches were so joyful when coaching us, we loved the pieces even more after that!”
Parent feedback from the 2024 Chamber Music Intensive
“The amount of growth and improvement for the individual players and in particular for the chamber music groups we witnessed during the weekend was immense. We observed that not only for our group but every single other one as well. Helene's email after the weekend with practice tips and advice on how to take it further was very helpful.”
“We can't thank you all enough for your fantastic chamber music intensive weekend full of beautiful music making, hard work and razor-sharp concentration, sweat and tears, bleeding thumbs, amazing energy, fun and laughter, unbelievable transformation, and above all for fostering and mentoring this wonderful community of young musicians and giving them the opportunity not only to grow musically but also as beautiful human beings, making lifelong friends and unforgettable memories along the way. Every one of you is an absolute inspiration to the children as well as to us parents. You truly make this world a better place.”
Student feedback from the 2023 Chamber Music Intensive
“I learnt so much about a variety of ways that we can express music, and work together in our groups to do that. It’s not only super useful for each group as we prepare for the contest, but also just as individual musicians as we learn so much about music and how to interpret it and use your instrument expressively and understand other instruments.”
“Getting tutored by smart and enthusiastic teachers. And it was fun seeing all of the other groups and making new friends.”
“Understanding about playing chamber music, and the background of the work and the composer.”
“The weekend improved my technical skills a lot and also improved my ensemble playing and understanding of our piece.”
“All the tutors are so experienced and have eyes on details. The can easily find out even the tiny things that can help the players to improve.”
“It helped a lot, it helped with technique and helped my group really improve!”
Parent and teacher feedback from the 2023 Chamber Music Intensive
“Wonderful and inspiring weekend for all students and teachers. Great to have the chance to have three days immersed in chamber music and to have such high level coaching from all the tutors involved. Gives students new things to think about, as well as reinforcing the aspects that are going well, or that might have already been mentioned but not yet put into action! The opportunity to play through the pieces so many times is also invaluable - so often in rehearsals we can get stuck on specific areas, so not always time to practice performing. And the friendships, collaborating and relaxing together is really important to build those all important bonds between musicians of all ages and stages.”
“The growth for each individual young musician as well as their groups as a whole can't be valued high enough in every aspect: Individual technique, musical expression, story telling, playing together and working as one organism.”
“Parent perspective: kids had coaches they look up to (vs. same old parents/teachers); the intensity of the event made them apply the knowledge almost instantly (vs. "plenty of time to figure it out by the next coaching/rehearsal"); the fact that the coaches repeatedly show up on their schedule (and are there for final performances) held them accountable; learning flexibility to adjust to different perspectives and coaching styles; knowing this weekend is leading up to the Contest next week.”
University student feedback
I learnt with Helene Pohl between the years of 2015 and 2020.
Helene was extremely receptive and nurturing when it came to bridging my experience of violin playing from the Suzuki world to transitioning into tertiary music study at university. She was also a very safe and supportive figure throughout my university journey.
Helene is an intuitive, expressive and mindful musician which is reflected in her teaching. Her gentleness, depth of thought and her passion resonated with me heavily in our lessons.
Now, as a practising musician in Wellington’s orchestras, theater realm and contemporary spaces, I have identified that my lessons with Helene have manifested heavily in the development of my tone, movement economy, musical decision making and passion for music making.
Hayden Afele-Nickel, Wellington-based performer and teacher
University student feedback
Helene’s energy and commitment to music has been a formative factor in my musical path. She is someone who doesn’t just believe in the power of music, she really presents it as a gift which needs to be shared. As a young musician, listening to her play and teach was revelatory. Her passion and gratitude for the music was infectious, and her energy for sharing it boundless. She understood my own love of music, and helped to enable the development of my skills so I could share it myself. The skills, appreciation and enthusiasm I learned from Helene have really helped give me focus and inspiration, not only as I studied, but further into my career as well.
Anna van der Zee, member of New Zealand Symphony Orchestra 1st violin section
University student feedback
I had the great privilege of learning with Helene for 2 years of postgraduate study.
Passionate, intense, and inspiring, she has a profound knowledge of her craft and an exceptional ability to share that knowledge with her students. I greatly admire not only her performance capabilities but her dedication to musical education and her personal drive for continual learning and exploration.
I found her teaching style to be extremely focused, collaborative and confidence building. Critical feedback was always well balanced with positive reinforcement and a collaborative approach to finding solutions. I particularly appreciated our detailed work on sound production, musical interpretation and technical facility as well as her integration of those elements with Feldenkrais and Alexander techniques to ensure ongoing healthy performance practice in both body and mind.
I am very grateful for the time I spent under her tutorage and it has greatly enhanced my playing.
- Fleur Jackson, violin teacher, Nelson
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University student feedback
Helene Pohl is not just a violin teacher—she is a guiding light, a mentor, and the reason I am the musician I am today. Her kindness, patience, and unwavering belief in her students create a nurturing space where growth and artistry flourish.
I remember walking into my NZSM audition in 2008 a total bag of nerves, but seeing her infectious smile beaming back at me from the panel made me feel instantly more confident, and I also decided in that moment I'd be putting her name down as my teacher preference if I was lucky enough to be accepted into the institution – impulsive decision in hindsight I guess, but also I'm a rather intuitive human, and my intuition once again didn't let me down, because Helene was exactly the teacher I needed.
From the very first lesson, she honed my technique all whilst encouraging my natural expression, creativity, and emotional connection to the music. Her brilliance as a performing musician is matched only by her generosity as a teacher—she meets you where you are, celebrates your progress, and gently challenges you to reach heights you didn’t think possible.
Helene, I am endlessly grateful for your wisdom, warmth, and the countless ways you have supported me and shaped my musical journey. Thank you!
-Arna Morton DMA, Principal Second Violin, Christchurch Symphony, Violinist, Morton Trio www.mortonmusic.online