With over 10 years of experience as a teacher, I am passionate about my teaching and commit wholeheartedly to helping every student achieve their potential. I have experience teaching students of all ages and standards, from complete beginners to aspiring professionals, I enjoy adapting to my students' needs and working out solutions that are suited to the individual.

As a teacher I combine a direct approach with support and guidance. I love to encourage my students to develop as all-round musicians, but am also very thorough in helping them to build an unshakeable technical foundation. I truly enjoy my teaching and I believe that this comes across, not only in lessons but also in the improvement achieved by my students!

I am happy to offer audition and exam preparation, and can offer you a unique perspective having regularly chaired panels at London conservatoires, as well as audition panels for several orchestral positions.

I was appointed as Principal Flute of the English National Opera at the age of 23, and am in demand as a guest principal flute with all major London orchestras. As a soloist I regularly perform across the UK and in Germany. I achieved first-class honours in my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, from Oxford University and the Royal College of Music, respectively. For my full biography please see my website, clairewickes.com.

Student Testimonials:

"Claire gave me the confidence to approach auditions in a calm way, I would wholeheartedly recommend her to any flautist of any age."

"Her techniques on tone, articulation and phrasing are second to none, and help stand as an example I look up to when playing beside her."

"Do not expect an easy lesson with Claire. She is firm but extremely passionate and it is demonstrated in the progress I have made since Claire has been my teacher. You will not be disappointed!"

"In teaching you come to be able to distinguish between those teachers who are very good, who have firm knowledge and expertise in their subject area, who are enthusiastic about their subject, are well prepared and thorough, from those who are excellent. Excellent teachers have all of these attributes but in addition that extra degree of empathy, intelligence, charisma and intuition that marks them out as to the manner born. Claire is one of these."

"As her pupil I have been so impressed with Claire’s ability to put me, a nervous, highly self critical pupil at her ease and to encourage me to keep going right from the first lesson."