Pauline Jones grew up near Cape Town in South Africa. She began her musical education on the recorder at age 4, progressing to the violin and piano, and latterly the cello. She performed annually at the Cape Town Eisteddfod, winning prizes and making her first major public appearance at a Prizewinners Concert in Cape Town City Hall on the cello.

As a teenager, she was invited to join the Stellenbosch University Symphony Orchestra. She also gave extra cello lessons to younger pupils of her inspiring cello teacher, Edna Elphick.

In 1986 her family moved to Britain. Here she completed A-levels and spent a gap-year at Wells Cathedral Music School as a Music Department Assistant. She studied cello there with Ioan Davies and piano with Michael Young, before going on to the Royal Academy of Music. At the RAM she studied cello with Lionel Handy and David Smith, piano with Jean Harvey and Jeffrey Harris, and conducting with Denise Ham.

As part of her LRAM studies, Pauline was involved in the Royal Academy’s First String Experience with Wendy Max. Here she gained valuable experience and insight into the world of inspiring children to play string instruments in ensembles, orchestras, group lessons, and individually, often using the techniques and ideas of Sheila Nelson. Teacher training at the RAM also included lectures with Sheila Nelson herself, as well as with Geza and Caba Szilvay, expounding their Colourstrings teaching system – a method which Pauline was to train in and work with more thoroughly many years later in Wales.

After completing a PGCE in Secondary Classroom Music at The Institute of Education, London University, and a year teaching Music in a City Technology College, Pauline took on a full-time role as Lower Strings Peripatetic Teacher and orchestral conductor in South Wales, with Carmarthenshire Music Service. She still teaches part-time here, having moved to London in 2023. Her pupils have regularly performed at the Welsh Urdd Eisteddfod, where many of them have won their categories and classes.

Pauline also lived, taught and performed abroad in Canada and South Africa for a decade the early 2000s. She regularly accompanies instrumentalists on the piano for concerts and music exams. In her spare time, she performs on the cello and piano, and is lead cellist with Finchley Symphony Orchestra.