Startle Music

Estelle Jackson is a teacher of clarinet, saxophone, flute, recorder and music theory.  She has 25 years' teaching experience, having been committed to this career since her school days.  She teaches privately from her home in Trull, and is also a visiting teacher at two local schools.  

As well as individual lessons, Estelle teaches small groups and runs various ensembles.  She regularly prepares students for examinations with ABRSM and Trinity, and is equally happy to teach students who simply wish to play for pleasure.  In recent years, some of her pupils have earned music scholarships to local independent schools, and others have successfully auditioned for both South West Music School and the National Children's Orchestras of Great Britain. Estelle encourages pupils to take part in the Taunton Music Festival if they would like to.  They have been outstandingly successful in the past, winning multiple classes every year since 2011, and most importantly, having lots of fun!  Results from the 2017 festival included 22 first place finishes, and 6 second place.  Estelle accompanies exam and festival candidates (up to around Grade 6 level) free of charge, as part of the service.  She is happy to recommend professional accompanists for the higher grades.  She currently plays the piano for weekly singing assemblies at two different schools.

Estelle has a degree in Music and Psychology from Royal Holloway, University of London; a PGCE with a semi-specialism in Music from Exeter University, and the DipABRSM in Clarinet Performance from the Associated Board.  She also has six Grade 8s and is working towards two more.

In your lessons, however long or short, you can expect to cover technical work, sight reading, core repertoire (usually from more than one book at a time), fun pieces for consolidation, duets and more.  There will be performance opportunities if you would like them, and you will be encouraged to set and work towards your own goals.

Estelle is a trained assessor of Music Medals - national awards for pupils taught in groups, available at Copper, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum levels (broadly beginner to Grade 4 level).  Please indicate your interest if you would like to know more.

Estelle is a keen amateur composer and arranger, who writes many pieces for her pupils and is just embarking on compositions for full orchestra.