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Online one-to-one violin tuition

Find a Grade 4 violin tutor

Develop secure upper notes, controlled bowing and a convincing performance, with lessons shaped around your ABRSM or Trinity route, or the music you want to play.

Find my Grade 4 violin tutor
  • One-to-one tuition
  • Pay as you go
  • Direct tutor contact
Grade 4 violin lessons can focus on an exam, a performance or the technical problems holding a piece back. Share your current playing and goals so the tutor can plan work on pitch, bowing and musical expression, together with any supporting skills your exam route requires. Latimer’s tutor matching request is free.

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Grade 4 Violin tuition enquiry

Tell us what you know, skip anything you’re unsure about, and add a short description if you skip both subject and level.

  1. Tutoring brief
  2. Contact details

Final question

Contact details

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We’ll reply by email. Mobile is an optional fallback only.

Your tutoring brief

Subject
Violin
Level
Grade 4

Free matching request skip anything you’re unsure about pay as you go when lessons begin.

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How one-to-one tuition can help

  • Find upper notes accurately and keep the bow moving evenly
  • Turn difficult passages into clear tasks for home practice
  • Prepare the pieces and supporting skills for your chosen route

Tell us ABRSM or Trinity, Practical, Performance, face-to-face or digital, and the syllabus you are using; personal playing goals are welcome too.

Available tutors

Compare Grade 4 violin tutors

Discuss the board, route and repertoire you want to prepare, and the playing difficulties you would like help with.

Portrait of Stacy Jarvis

Stacy Jarvis

Music and Russian Specialist

Manchester, United Kingdom

£35.00 per hourDBS checkediAccepting enquiries
MusicMusic PerformanceMusic TheoryPiano+2 more
  • She currently teaches Music at a primary school and provides private Violin lessons to a diverse range of students, including children with SEN.
  • Holds a Masters degree in Musicology from the University of Manchester.
  • Currently studying for her Doctorate of Music at the University of Birmingham, focusing on the conceptualisation of artistic ideas in nocturnes.
  • Holds a Bachelors degree in Violin Performance from the Royal Northern College of Music.
  • Has extensive experience teaching violin and piano to students of all ages, from Year 1 primary students to adult learners.

Stacy Jarvis is a music educator and violinist who teaches Music, Violin, Piano and Music Theory from KS2 to A-Level, with experience supporting children with SEN and adult learners.

Send a quick enquiry from here and the Latimer Tuition team will pass it on to Stacy.

View Stacy’s profile
Portrait of Wenyu Boris Xie

Wenyu Boris Xie

Mathematics, Physics, and Geography Specialist

London

£30.00 per hourDBS checkediAccepting enquiries
11+ (general)BiologyChemistryCreative Writing+8 more
  • Wenyu holds over 3 years' of teaching experience.
  • Currently studying for his Bachelors of Engineering in Civil Engineering at the University of Bristol.
  • Holds A*, A for Physics and Mathematics at A-Level.
  • Holds 5 A*s for Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Geography at GCSE-level.
  • Holds an ARSM Diploma in Violin Peformance and ABRSM Grade 8 in Piano Peformance.

Maths and physics tutor for KS2–A Level, plus GCSE Geography and 11+/13+. Civil Engineering MEng student at the University of Bristol with 3+ years’ teaching experience, offering tailored lessons with session reports and optional homework.

Send a quick enquiry from here and the Latimer Tuition team will pass it on to Wenyu.

View Wenyu’s profile
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Choose the board and exam route first

Tell the tutor whether you are preparing for ABRSM, Trinity or a personal playing goal. The route determines how much lesson time goes to repertoire, technique and supporting skills.

ABRSM’s violin syllabus runs from 2024 until further notice. Trinity’s current Strings syllabus covers exams from June 2025; the online edition checked here is February 2026. Use the relevant syllabus when choosing pieces and recheck it before entering.

ABRSM Practical Grade 4
Three pieces, one from each of lists A, B and C, plus scales and arpeggios, sight-reading and aural tests. Keep all four areas in the practice plan.
ABRSM Performance Grade 4
A continuous four-piece programme, including at least one piece from each of lists A, B and C and an eligible fourth choice. There are no separate supporting tests; the performance as a whole is assessed.
Trinity face-to-face Grade 4
Three pieces, technical work and two chosen supporting tests. Technical work includes the bowing exercise plus either the scales, arpeggios and technical exercises option or studies. For the scale option, E major is one octave starting on the A string in fourth position. Practise finding the starting note and hand position reliably, then connect the scale.
Trinity digital Grade 4
Choose three pieces with technical work or the four-piece repertoire-only pathway. Tell the tutor which option you intend to take so preparation follows that pathway.

Next step

A Grade 4 example: hear the top of the E major scale

ABRSM extends E major from one octave at Grade 3 to two octaves at Grade 4. Reaching the upper notes securely adds a useful technical goal. Its major and minor scales are played from memory, with the examiner choosing separate bows or slurs of two beats per bow.

Here is a practice example built around the final B–C♯–D♯–E of the ascending two-octave E major scale. The ♯ sign means sharp. Agree a comfortable fingering with the tutor; ABRSM permits any successful fingering.

  1. Hear the difference

    Play those four notes slowly in separate bows. B to C♯ and C♯ to D♯ are whole tones; D♯ to E is a semitone, half that interval. If the last gap sounds like another whole tone, the ending needs a pitch correction before you increase speed.

  2. Join the correction back in

    Listen to the D♯–E pair, then add C♯ and B again. Once the pattern is secure, join it to the preceding notes of the scale. Keep the pulse even as the left hand moves and the bow continues.

  3. Check pitch and sound together

    Return to the full scale and practise its required slurred bowing as well. Listen for the smaller final interval, an even sound and no rush into the top E. Getting the notes right only after a pause is a reason to slow down and reconnect the passage.

Give each piece its own character

ABRSM’s Performance guidance asks learners to consider contrast and running order across the programme. A complete rehearsal can reveal a problem that separate piece practice misses: the second piece begins with the first piece’s pace or mood still in the player’s head.

For example, rehearse the end of a lyrical piece followed by the opening of a more rhythmic one from your chosen programme. During the pause, hear the new opening silently and feel its pulse before placing the bow. Play the transition again. A better result is an opening that establishes the second piece’s own tempo and character without a hesitant restart.

Then test that transition within the whole programme. Keep going through a small mistake and note the passage for later work. This is especially useful for a four-piece Performance or repertoire-only route, where preparation needs to sustain a complete musical performance. For a concert or personal goal, use the same check with the pieces you want to share.

Next step

Keep supporting skills connected to the music

ABRSM Practical includes both sight-reading and aural tests. For Trinity face-to-face Grade 4, choose two from sight reading, aural, improvisation and musical knowledge. Work with examples for the selected board and grade, alongside the pieces.

  • Reading unfamiliar music

    Before playing a fresh extract, check the key signature, time signature, rhythm and changes of string or hand position. Try it through at a manageable pulse, then identify whether a stop came from reading the note, finding it or coordinating the bow.

  • Listening and responding

    Use short listening tasks suited to the board’s aural requirements. After an attempt, identify what was missed in the rhythm or pitch and listen again with that question in mind. Explain the response aloud as well as trying it musically.

  • Trinity’s other options

    If choosing improvisation or musical knowledge, include that choice in the lesson brief. Practise the syllabus task itself: creating a musical response for improvisation, or explaining features of the music for musical knowledge.

Leave the lesson with a task you can check

Agree a practice routine that fits the learner’s school, work and other music commitments. A useful task names the passage, the correction and the sound to listen for. Simon Fischer’s section-by-section practice method offers a way to build a passage gradually while checking pitch, clean playing and timing.

  1. Choose one problem

    Write down a bar, scale fragment or transition and the specific issue, such as an out-of-tune arrival or a break in pulse. Start with a section small enough to hear and correct.

  2. Reconnect it

    After the correction works slowly, add the notes before and after it. Check that it survives the join, then try a longer passage. Include the route’s technical or supporting work in the routine too.

  3. Bring back useful feedback

    Keep a short practice recording or a note of the point that still breaks down. At the next lesson, check whether the learner can reproduce the correction independently and decide what to change next.

Simon Fischer’s ABC method of practising

Set up an online lesson so the tutor can see and hear you

Latimer offers online one-to-one tuition, using Microsoft Teams by default; another platform can be agreed with the tutor. Have access to a suitable violin and bow for both lessons and practice, the music you are working on and a stand or secure place for the score.

Place the camera far enough away to show the left hand and the whole bow movement. Check the sound with a short passage played quietly and then more strongly, so the tutor can hear both. Agree how tuning will be handled and whether a parent or another adult needs to help a younger learner with setup.

Share the exact syllabus or book edition, chosen pieces and any planned exam date. For a performance recording, plan accompaniment and a trial recording early enough to check the balance between violin and accompaniment. In-person lessons require an individual arrangement with the tutor.

Choose the teaching approach and agree the cost

A free introductory meeting lets you discuss the learner’s current pieces, goals and preferred way of receiving feedback. Explain the difficulty plainly: “I can find the high notes slowly, but lose them when I play the whole phrase.” Ask how the tutor would investigate that problem and what the learner would practise afterwards.

Mention any reading, concentration, hearing or physical access needs, and the teaching approaches that already help. Agree useful adjustments, such as shorter instructions, written practice notes or a different camera angle. Check the tutor’s relevant experience for the support you need.

Each tutor sets the hourly rate shown on their profile. Lessons are arranged directly with the tutor after introduction, and Latimer invoices completed lessons on a pay-as-you-go basis. Agree lesson length and frequency alongside the budget. Also settle the cost of music, exam entry and accompaniment where relevant. The introductory meeting is a discussion of goals and arrangements; it is not normally a full teaching lesson.

Next step

Support and clarity

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers to the questions people ask most often.

Do I need Grade 3 violin or a theory certificate first?

For ABRSM Grade 4, neither an earlier instrumental grade nor a theory pass is required. That is an entry rule, so the tutor should still review your current playing: reading, pitch, bow control and the work needed for your chosen route. Bring the pieces you can play now, even if you have no previous certificate.

How long will Grade 4 preparation take?

Start with a review of what you can already play and how much regular practice is realistic. Agree lesson frequency and a review point with the tutor. Use secure passages, independent corrections and full run-throughs to judge progress before settling an exam date; a fixed number of lessons would not reflect every learner’s starting point.

Will I need an accompanist?

For ABRSM Practical, candidates provide an acoustic violin and their own live accompanist for accompanied pieces; recorded accompaniment is not allowed. ABRSM Performance permits live or recorded accompaniment, and accompanied pieces must still be accompanied. Trinity face-to-face Grade 4 also needs live accompaniment for accompanied pieces, while its digital route permits live or recorded accompaniment. Settle who will play or provide the recording, and arrange rehearsal.

Who books the exam?

Agree who will make the entry, pay the exam fee and check the candidate details, repertoire and any access arrangements. Discuss accompaniment and any recording or submission tasks at the same time. Make those responsibilities explicit with the tutor before booking, along with any costs beyond tuition.

Can I work at Grade 4 level without taking an exam?

Yes. Set a playing goal with the tutor, such as performing a chosen piece for family or joining several secure sections into a complete performance. Use pitch, tone, timing and musical character to review the result. Grade 4 material can give the lessons direction while your musical interests determine the repertoire and pace.

How do I request a Grade 4 violin tutor?

Compare the tutor profiles or send Latimer a free matching request. Include your board and exam route if known, current pieces, the main playing difficulty, preferred lesson times and budget. If you are learning for enjoyment, describe what you would like to play. Use the introductory meeting to discuss teaching approach and arrangements.

Further information

Useful links and resources

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