Jan Repko, 68, a former violin teacher at the Royal College of Music (RCM) in west London, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman during a lesson
A former violin teacher at the Royal College of Music (RCM) who is accused of sexually assaulting a prospective student said he was showing her exercises to improve her technique.
South Africa-born Jan Repko, 68, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman during a consultation lesson in 2022.
Repko met the complainant so she could play a few pieces on the violin for him in what was effectively a “taster session”, Southwark Crown Court previously heard.
He is alleged to have touched her waist and bottom, and to have put his hand over her crotch area before undoing her trousers and assaulting her.
Repko, who also taught at Chetham’s School of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, is on trial accused of sexual assault by touching and assault by penetration.
Giving evidence on Wednesday, Repko told the jury he gave the complainant exercises during the lesson that were designed to help her relax and improve her technique.
Demonstrating one of the exercises to the jury, Repko explained it involves positioning the fingers in a particular way on the instrument to relax the hand.
Asked whether he stood up to demonstrate the exercise in the lesson, he replied: “As I remember, I was sat – there is no need for me to stand up during this exercise.”
Repko said the woman picked up the technique “very quickly” and he was impressed.
He added: “She is smart, she was really smart. She understood what I meant, she followed the instructions.”
Repko said most of the exercises he gave the complainant during the lesson were designed to “relax her body”.
One exercise involved correcting her posture by asking her to stand up straight and lean back.
The court previously heard that it was while he was showing the woman this exercise that Repko is said to have assaulted her.
In a police interview, the woman said Repko had approached her and asked, “May I?”, which she took as him seeking permission to touch her hand, jurors were told.
The complainant said she said yes but instead of him touching her hand, he put one hand on her waist and the other on her bottom, the court previously heard.
The complainant was “shocked” and, “not knowing how to respond”, continued playing before Repko put his hand over her crotch area, undid her trousers and sexually assaulted her with his finger, the court heard.
In his evidence, Repko said he told the complainant he was going to “try something to get her more relaxed”.
He said: “I left my chair, I started facing her… I told her what I was going to do, what I wanted her to do.
“I told her I wanted her to lean backwards during this exercise, and I showed her where I was going to touch her.”
Repko said he asked the woman twice if it was OK for him to touch her, and she had said it was.
He then placed one hand on her hip and another on her back, and told her to stand up straight, “like a plank”, he said.
He told jurors the complainant followed his instructions and the exercise was successful, with Repko noticing a change in the sound of her violin.
The RCM, established in 1883, was ranked as the world’s leading institution for performing arts in 2022.
The musician, from Walworth, south-east London, denies the charges against him.
The trial continues.
