Meet 2025 Teacher of the Year for Violin Benjamin Henson

We asked 2025 Lessonface Teacher of the Year in Violin, Benjamin Henson, to share insights into his journey as a musician and educator. In this Q&A, Benjamin reflects on what drew him to the violin, the balance of challenge and reward that keeps the instrument endlessly expressive, and the importance of relaxation and physical awareness in learning. He also discusses his straightforward teaching setup, the practical tools he believes best support student success, and looks ahead to new musical territory he’s excited to explore, offering perspective shaped by years of dedicated study and teaching.

What drew you to learning the violin?

Both the challenge and reward of playing the violin are hard to beat. It requires such hard work and precise control, but the result is a breadth and depth of musical expression that never becomes boring. 

If you could gift your students one piece of automatic knowledge or ability about the violin, what would it be?

When I was a student, I wish someone had given me the gift of relaxation. The person who is physically relaxed and kinesthetically aware will rarely become frustrated with the violin.

What are some of your most indispensable pieces of gear? 

I've got a pretty simple setup, just my Macbook and a Sennheiser Pro USB mic. 

What are some gear items that you wish all your students had?  

In my opinion, spend your money on a good internet connection instead of fancy audio equipment. Every student should have a music stand and get the free Soundcorset tuner/metronome app.

What’s a skill or idea you’re excited to explore in 2026? 

I'm hoping to explore the fiddle genre more this coming year. 

If you are interested in learning more about Benjamin or would like to book a lesson with him, please visit his Lessonface profile here. 

Also, be sure to check out all of Lessonface’s 2025 Teachers of the Year here!