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Violin teacher with light touch
ELSPETH Iliff, a popular violin and viola teacher who died earlier this month aged 76, will be remembered by hundreds of pupils who flourished under her tuition at her home in Dartmouth Park.
Ms Iliff was born in Switzerland and travelled to England after World War II to work as an au pair and to improve her English.
She stayed for a time at the house of renowned classical musician Emmanuel Hurwitz, with whom she studied the violin. She then moved to Dartmouth Park in the 1960s and lived there until her death.
She was at the forefront of the 1970s music movement inspired by American music teacher Paul Rolland. His musical philosophy was to produce young violinists “who not only play in tune with a good sound but who also feel comfortable and happy in doing so”.
The hundreds of pupils taught by Ms Iliff will recall her belief in holding the violin in a relaxed way, and in making sure the bow hand was as light as possible. This was as much a focus of her lessons as learning scales.
She spoke German, French and English, and translated Paul Rolland’s work into German.
Ms Iliff became vice-president of the European String Teachers Association. And she sought to instill in her pupils not just individual skill, but a love of performing with others.
She would not only organise individual teaching sessions, but offered sessions for chamber orchestras.
Many of her pupils would be invited to play with other pupils of hers, and at the end of each term parents, friends and neighbours would be invited to concerts in her front room to see how well her charges were progressing. Away from music, she was a keen art lover and gardener.
Friend and neighbour Sarah Dawes said: “She was a good friend and we had many happy times making music together.”
Ms Iliff is survived by a nephew and cousins.
Her funeral, at which all friends are welcome, is at Golders Green Crematorium at midday on Thursday, October 26, with friends gathering at Kenwood House tearoom afterwards.
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