In Memory of a Wonderful Teacher

I would like to pay tribute to Howard Davis, leader of the Alberni Quartet and professor of violin at the Royal Academy of Music, who sadly passed away this year.

He was an outstanding violinist - stylish with a beautiful tone and boundless energy in his playing, but for the purposes of this article I shall concentrate on his skills as a teacher.

Many of his former pupils in the music profession say that they would not be playing today if it weren't for Howard.  He believed in his students, and taught them to believe in themselves.  Sometimes this extended beyond violin-playing, so that he also took on the role of psychotherapist and general mentor.  He nurtured his pupils' strengths and worked with them so that they all developed their own individual style.

Although he was extremely busy (due to an inability to say 'no'), he was very generous with his time.  If an ex-student wanted help before an audition, he would always manage to squeeze them in, and often with no charge.  He would subsequently want to know how the audition had gone, and would be ready to congratulate or pick up the pieces accordingly.

He had an infectious love for playing the violin which he inspired in his pupils.  He was demanding of high standards, but never lost sight of enjoyment of the instrument.  He didn't only focus on his high-flying students, but put as much energy and enthusiasm into those who were finding it more tough-going.

I was one of Howard's students and he is my inspiration to be a good teacher.  I studied with him for six years and was friends with him for seventeen.  Once he suggested that I listen to a Perlman recording and joked that, "If you come to the next lesson sounding exactly like Perlman, that will be OK!".  I feel that if I can inspire and nurture my pupils as he did, well that would be OK too.