Caroline Costello

Caroline hails from Coventry, growing up in a musical family which provided strong influences and regular chamber music. This also enabled all of her three siblings to have had long careers as professional classical musicians.

Educated at Chetham's School of Music, Birmingham Conservatoire and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where she specialised in accompaniment, Caroline won many awards and prizes during that time. This included being the joint winner in 1980 of the first award given of the ‘Robert William and Florence Amy Brant piano competition’ which has developed over many years and is known today as the ’The Birmingham International piano competition’.

Caroline’s early career was initially as a freelance repetiteur, accompanist and chamber musician based in London. On returning to the Midlands she dedicated more time to the teaching of piano specifically and music generally, both privately and at higher music education institutions.

She also worked within a number of school music departments with the responsibility to set the curriculum, deliver class lessons, conducting choirs and ensembles and as a supportive role using her accompanying skills when required.

Since 1989 Caroline has taught at both the Conservatoire and Junior Conservatoire. As well as being a Tutor of piano during this time, her responsibilities have included teaching keyboard skills, mentoring post graduate piano students on project work and advising on pedagogy skills. She had the responsibility for the delivery and course content of the B. Mus year 3 pedagogy classes from 1999-2011, where she enabled every piano student access to some teaching experience at a local school.

Caroline sees herself as a music educator and relishes working with students of all ages and abilities. She endeavours to promote good foundations in technique and encourages, alongside this, the understanding and appreciation of music. Knowing also that some of her students may not wish to fulfil a career in music she hopes that through her guidance and mentoring, her pupils will see the ‘piano’ as a ‘friend’ for life and develop a desire and affection to be an informed audience to many differing performances of musical genre.