Meet the team

Although his degree is in Art History, John Finnon has played and taught music his entire career, mainly with Gateshead Education Authority where he was Head of Strings until 2014. He now teaches privately and at Newcastle University, as well as with CMWS which he helped to found. 

Originally a cello and Double bass specialist, John’s love of early music, led him to the lute repertoire he specialises in with his guitar teaching, and also to the viol which he has enabled so many adults and young people to play.

Many students who have had instruments on long term loan from him will attest to his accomplishment as an instrument maker, a hobby originating he says, “because I could not afford all the instruments  I needed,”  but has more recently expanded,  leading  him to make copies of rare 16^th century instruments  from collections in London and Venice. 

Erardo has had a most successful career, both as a violinist with the BBC and the Scottish National Orchestra and more recently as a teacher with the award winning Gateshead Music Service, where his pupils have consistently achieved outstanding results.

He is musically versatile, with an enthusiasm for coaching string ensembles. He is also a talented performer on the treble viol, and coaches viol groups in the Community Music Whickham and Swalwell programme of activities. In his ‘spare’ time, he enjoys riding large motorbikes and travelling around France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany, visiting places which have a strong historical or gastronomic focus.  

Since finishing university six years ago, Anna Jackson has worked as a violin teacher and performer and also teaches classical guitar. As a teacher she places an emphasis on performance and violin technique in her lessons. She has built up a large teaching practice in both Gateshead and rural Northumberland where she lives. As a performer she plays as part of the Jazz quintet Fugue State, on violin and vocals, as well as performing the classical violin repertoire as both a soloist, and as part of a violin and guitar duo.