Jacky Woods – viola
A student of violin and viola with Sheila Nelson, Jacky went on to study the viola at the RNCM with Atar Arad and Mischa Geller.
As a young professional, she combined a busy chamber career with the Ceruti String Trio and the Adderbury Ensemble with working in the English Chamber Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Royal Opera House and Glyndebourne Touring Opera amongst others.
Following a shoulder injury, her love for teaching gradually took over. Jacky now combines teaching at Junior and Primary Academy with her teaching at the Purcell School, as a colour strings advanced teacher, Eton college and privately.
She is an ESTA UK council member and has taught pedagogy at both the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the Royal Academy of Music LRAM course. 15 Years ago Jacky founded Parkview Chamber Music where she now coaches up to 14 string groups weekly preparing them for regular concerts, competitions and festivals. She also founded and is musical director of the Arpeggione viola courses in Suffolk which has been running for 11 years now, comprising of 3 annual courses.
In September 2021 she founded Beare’s Chamber with Steven Smith, the director of J & A Beare in London and now organises and coaches these advanced string quartets every week with a team of professional string quartet musicians. Jacky has taught on many courses including Pro Corda, Summer Strings, Cadenza, the National Childrens Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra.