Richard Crabtree  ARCM

Richard enjoys a well balanced musical lifestyle which encompasses a musician of the 21st Century.

For over four decades his teaching has become an enduring, ever learning and evolving passion.

His violin & viola students regularly gain places with Junior and Senior National Youth Orchestras in the UK, Ireland, and throughout Europe. His advanced students win competitions nationally, and gain scholarships to major schools and specialist music schools throughout the UK, and his most prestigious postgraduate student’s gain full time principal and rank and file positions with international orchestras in the UK and abroad.

Since 2007, through the instigation of LMFL, Richard has pioneered Internet lessons in four continents. 

He has given masterclasses and concert performances in China, Korea, Turkmenistan France, Italy Spain and the USA.

Richard studied violin and viola with his teacher and mentor Nicholas Roth at Trinity College of Music (now Trinity Laban).  During his early career, Richard worked with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Mozart Players. As principal violist and soloist, he performed with the London Soloists Ensemble, Wessex Sinfonia, Clifton Virtuosi, English National Baroque  

In 1989 he gave his Radio 3 solo debut recital, and has subsequently recorded solo sound tracks for radio and television documentaries. 

A keen interest in promoting contemporary music has taken him throughout the UK and Europe. The British Council and Turkmenistan’s Ministry of Culture invited Richard to perform at the Makhtumkuli Festival where his performances were televised throughout the State. Richard has the distinction of being the first British musician to perform there since Glasnost. 

Premiere performances of Concertos, Suites, and Incidental works written by Leonard Salzedo, Ellis Pehkonen, Chris Toon, Chari Numerov, John Marsh, Sarah Class, Martin Pring, William Godfree, all add towards the diversity of the viola repertoire.

In 2011 Richard produced the Crabbers Scale Manual for Violin,Viola and Cello. This unique system uses letters and numbers and is specifically designed to help students of all ages and abilities to gain confidence when learning scales.