About
Our music team is chosen by our Artistic Director Nicole Wilson.
With a career as a top UK violinist and pedagogue spanning 30 years, Nicole has worked with the finest musicians in the world as a violin professor at London’s prestigious Royal Academy of Music and Eton College, first violinist of the London Symphony Orchestra, Principal of English National Opera, Concertmaster of the London Musical Theatre Orchestra and as a guest concertmaster with many UK orchestras.
Her experience of running many music courses since 2018 has enabled her to hand-pick the best and most inspiring musicians from across the UK to work with her to give the students an unparalleled musical experience.
Unique access
Rarely can students of this age work so closely with tutors of this calibre, with the opportunity to discover so much varied music.
VIMA String Course students will explore string technique and repertoire, rhythm, musicality and composition in a fun and inspiring environment at historic Winchester College. As well as the String Course expert faculty, students will have extra sessions with Advanced Course faculty, guiding them in their musical development with a view to them joining the Advanced Course (by audition) in future years if they wish.
Advanced String Course students will explore more challenging solo, chamber and string orchestra repertoire with informal performance opportunities throughout the week. Students will work with faculty from the London music conservatoires as well as heads of departments from the UKs leading independent schools and expert orchestral professionals. This exclusive, intensive course will bring together like-minded and talented students from grade 7 up to Diploma level and beyond.
Concerts for friends and family at Winchester College will close the course.
Faculty
We’re proud to bring together the UK’s finest pedagogues, with Heads of Strings and teachers from leading independent schools and conservatoires.
With applicants from all around the world, we select the most talented string students to work with our faculty. More information on our faculty can be found here.
Location
Virtuoso International Music Academy is held at Winchester College.
The spectacular medieval buildings of Winchester College have been used as locations for many movies including Tom Hooper’s Les Misérables (2012) featuring Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe.
The College consists of 94 listed buildings, set in grounds of 250 acres, of which 100 acres are water meadows, 52 acres are playing fields, and 11 acres are formal gardens. The music school has been extended in a beautiful modern style with Steinway pianos and an organ in the concert hall.
The College has recently finished a spectacular new sports and swimming facility to which the students will have access during the course.
Cost
The residential fee is £2500
The day fee is £2200
This does not include travel to/from Winchester.
For students struggling to pay for the course we can offer bursary support dependent on financial circumstances. Please write to info@vima.org.uk for more information.
The fee is payable within two weeks of acceptance onto the course. If payment is not received by this time, the place will be forfeited.
If you require a delay in the fee payment, please write to info@vima.org.uk explaining the reasons and requested timescale for payment and we will advise whether we can hold the place for you.
Once the limited number of places on the course are filled, the application process will be closed.
Dates
Course dates are 23-29th August 2026.
Arrival for students is 9-10am on the morning of Sunday 23rd August.
Course ends after the final afternoon concert on Saturday 29th.
Free tickets are available for family and friends.
Although we cannot accommodate any adults on this course there is a wonderful array of hotels in and around Winchester. Click below should you wish to enjoy this historic town while your child/student is resident on the course.
