Calin Andrei

Teaching experience
Calin Andrei has been teaching since his late teens, initially working with younger students of his father (who is a violin teacher at a specialist music school in Romania).  During his studies at Bucharest National Music University, he taught two very committed primary school age pupils (the children of the Korean ambassador, to whom he was recommended as a teacher) and an adult beginner.
 In London he has undertaken private teaching for the last 3 years.  His students have ranged from an eight year old with little playing experience to an exceptionally advanced student in the first years of secondary school and a 17 year old student working towards conservatoire auditions for whom he acts as teaching assistant to Mr Remus Azoitei, who is a member of the string department at the Royal Academy of Music. 
Calin has studied piano, and can accompany students up to advanced level.  His early training put a lot of emphasis on theory and aural, which he has found some students can see as daunting or boring:  he enjoys helping students find new skill and confidence in these areas, and link these with their playing.
 
Teaching Approach
His musical training has given him exposure to both East and West European approaches to teaching technique and musicianship and when teaching he tries to blend the best of these approaches, adapted to the needs of the student. The Romanian approach to the development of violin technique is based on the Russian school and is very structured.  It also requires, and assumes, a huge level of commitment from both student and teacher. He tries to blend the strengths of this approach in terms of giving a nice sound and strong technique with a focus on musicality and enjoyment for each individual pupil (appropriately geared to their standard of playing and musical interest) which he has learnt through his studies and teaching experience in London.  
Calin Andrei's approach to teaching is closely related to the student: his/her age, level of playing, understanding of music and personality. He assesses all these as quickly as he can and then apply the best approach he can to achieve fastest progress for that individual student whether (s)he is playing for fun or working towards conservatoire entrance.
The range of students he has taught has helped him think about different approaches to resolving technical issues (and,  in particular the best way of helping a new student in dealing with a number of technical problems which may have built up over time without holding the student back or being discouraging), how to blend repertoire and pure technical work, and has also given him experience of choosing repertoire which will allow the pupil to develop his/her musical interests and therefore helps motivate good practice habits. He tries to make things fun, while immediately establishing a friendly and effective teacher-student connection that leads to achieving progress each lesson.
Calin has developed a good knowledge of the ABRSM grade system and see it as a useful tool in helping students progress and derive encouragement from milestones successfully passed, although it remains important not to lose focus on wider repertoire and technique development outside the grade syllabus.
Calin Andrei has the LRSM teaching qualification from the Royal College of Music in London.