OLGA VAN OEFFELEN

Welcome to Olga Point! Since this year I'm organising International Cello Workshops in the south of France. A little introduction: I began to play the cello when I was 8 years old and at 17 I started teaching the cello to others. I graduated at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague in the Netherlands. During this time I followed masterclasses with Mstislav Rostropovich, Colin Carr, Anner Bijlsma and others and I was a member of the National Youth Orchestra. After that I played as a freelancer in many professional orchestras in the Netherlands and travelled around the world with the Conjuncto Iberico. With this cello octet I worked closely with a diverse range of composers and premiered numerous works. Traveling around the world with a chambermusic company was defenitely one of my dreams. So I can cross off this one!

Alongside playing in different music companies, I kept teaching and worked as a producer for the Amsterdam Chamber Orchestra and the Nieuw Ensemble Amsterdam. When my daughter was born sixteen years ago, I focussed even more on teaching, because it was better to combine with family life and I enjoyed teaching a lot. I organised numerous cello meetings for my pupils in which all of them played together, which was a lot of fun. Besides teaching children and adults how to play the cello, I also give general music education for children in groupsessions.

When I studied at the conservatory, my cello teacher took us all to his beautiful house in the South of France. I was only 15 years old and this had a great impact: my love for France was born and when I started teaching the cello I had this vision of doing the same thing: organise workshops in the South of France. Well...and here I am now! Living in France since one year and organising International Cello Workshops! I can't tell you how thrilled I am! In 2024 the focus will be on Cello Workshops for adults, but workshops for children will certainly follow next year. In my more than 25 years experience I had pupils from all ages, from 4 to 84. I love teaching all levels, young & old. 

It's fun to learn to play an instrument and yes....it's not always easy. But when you get to a certain level, it brings a lot of joy, especially when playing together. With dedication, courage and the right way of studying (which will be part of the workshop), you will succeed. For more detailed information about the workshops click here.