Barbara Grunthal

• Job title: Cello Tutor
• Department(s): Strings
• Specialism(s): Cello

Barbara Grunthal is a cello tutor at Chetham’s where she specialises in helping younger pupils to develop the best technical foundations for their playing whilst also nurturing their love of music.

Barbara was a pupil at Chetham’s before going to the Royal Northern College of Music, where awards from the Royal Society of Arts and the Guinness Foundation enabled her to continue her studies with Emma Ferrand and Ralph Kirshbaum. Whilst a post-graduate student, Barbara began teaching at the RNCM Junior Department and started playing with Manchester Camerata and Northern Chamber Orchestra, both of which she has now been a member for over 20 years.

Barbara enjoys a varied performing career, having worked with all the major symphony orchestras in the North West, and worldwide orchestra tours have taken her to China, Japan, the USA and Australia. Away from classical music, her work as a recording artist in both TV and pop music worlds has seen her perform on Strictly Come Dancing and with artists such as Shirley Bassey and the Pet Shop Boys.

As a highly respected teacher, Barbara enjoys the challenge of finding the best way to work with each individual student in order to help them achieve their full potential, and many of her pupils have gone on to work in the music profession. She also teaches at Withington Girls School and has a thriving private practice, with pupils aged from 8 to 80. Barbara is a highly experienced educator with many years of experience delivering outreach workshops in both mainstream and SEND schools, and in many care home settings.