Chloë Butterworth
Performance
Growing up with professional classical musicians for parents, I have been surrounded by music my entire life. I started playing the cello at 6 and have played professionally for about 10 years. I’ve performed at venues such as Birmingham Symphony Hall, The Royal Albert Hall, and Glastonbury Festival. I gained a BMus in Cello Performance from The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, under the tutelage of Lionel Handy. I spent all 4 years of my degree playing in the Saorsa Quartet, of which I was a founding member. Since graduating, I have performed around the South West and London, with highlights including being part of Universai and the Mysticism of Sound at Colet House in September 2025, and going on to record on Ruhiya's single ‘Shekhinah’. I play a range of genres, including classical, Pop, SWANA traditional, and folk.
Teaching
I am a cello teacher with 21 years of Cello experience, and 10 years of professional teaching experience.
I teach all genres, from classical to contemporary, and use the Suzuki books as a gentle and structured way for beginners to build strong foundations.
As an autistic musician, I'm especially passionate about creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment, and I want to encourage more autistic people to explore classical instruments like the cello
Christine H
'I am an adult returner to playing the cello and it is an absolute pleasure to be taught by Chloe. She has infinite patience, (especially with an 'old duffer' like me!), and is really knowledgeable of the cello and music theory. As I work towards my ABSRM exam, Chloe is honing in on the fine details which is really appreciated. In everything from technique, and theory to performance Chloe has delivered over and above the requirement. I look forward to our lessons and have rekindled my interest in cello and music.'
Sizwile M
'What really hits home for us as parents is, both children now picking up their cellos at home and practicing, largely unprompted, just a reminder occasionally and off they go. We can hear the improvement in how they play. We don’t have to wrestle and bribe them to go for lessons, they look forward to it. Nothing beats brewing a coffee in your kitchen with the sound of live cello music played by your children vibrating through the house. Most important of all, they are happy.'
Simon C
'Chloë is an excellent teacher. Always encouraging and full of good advice. Understanding when I have a bad lesson, gives me interesting pieces, and I love how she relates pieces and techniques to her own experiemce as a learner. I have had many instrumental teachers over the years on various instruments: she is the one that inspires me to practise hard and can play things in a way I actually enjoy listening to. I wouldn't change.'
