The question came from a year seven student at Sheffield Springs Academy and was directed at former BBC Young Musician of the Year Nicola Benedetti.

"You don't have to move. But the rhythm of the music makes you move. It's like a dance," she answered.

Nicola visited Springs Academy and Firth Park Community Arts College to play, teach and talk music with the students. The visits were part of Sheffield International Concert Season's education programme, Wired for Sound.

Around 170 students sat spellbound at Springs as Nicola played The Hungarian Dances by Brahms and It Ain't Necessarily So by Gershwin.
"It's important for the children to have exposure to someone as famous as Nicola," said Gavin Egan, Head of Performing Arts at the school and the older brother of Westlife's Kian Egan.

"One hundred and twenty students at our school take music lessons. They are free because it's important for us to make sure that the students here get the same opportunities as everyone else."

Nicola, who won the Carlton Television Brilliant Prodigy Competition in 2002, held a 284-year-old violin in one hand and twisted her ponytail with the other. Her left leg crossed over the right as she looked out on students only eight or nine years younger than herself.

"How long have you played the violin?" asked one of them.

"I started playing when I was four years old. Now I am 20. I have always played a little bit every day, even if it was just for five minutes. I gradually built it up and played more every day. Today I practise for five or six hours every day."

"If the violin didn't exist what would you play?" asked another pupil.

"That's difficult. Maybe cello or the drums. I actually started playing the drums for about a month or so when I was little."

"Have you ever played music for a film?"

"Yes, I just have actually. But it's a film none of you can see! It's called Eastern Promise and you have to be 18 to see it.''

Nicola then turned the tables: "Do any of you play an instrument?"

Several hands went up, and 13-year-old Deborah Green revealed she, too, played the violin.

"Do you? You should come up and play with me then," said Nicola, and Deborah jumped at the chance to perform with the special visitor.

"I was really scared but I enjoyed it," she said after the duet.

Eleven-year-old Henri N'Swana, who plays drums, was also impressed with the classical music performance.

"I liked it. I liked the way she played the violin," he said before Nicola was taken to Firth Park where she played and answered more questions from students.

In the music room of the college about 40 youngsters from year seven to year 11 waited in anticipation.

"Can you play the wedding song," a girl requested.

"The wedding song?" a teacher asked, not quite understanding the request. Another student started humming "Here comes the bride..." and Benedetti quickly joined in.

"Who inspired you to play the violin?" one student asked.

"I never had a solo violinist or musician who inspired me. This sounds corny and cheesy, but my mum, who can't play or even sing and never had the opportunity to touch an instrument when she was young, she made me understand that to play for a living you have to practice every single day. She, more than anyone, made me realise this."

Another question: "Do you still get nervous?"

"Yes, it's strange. But I tell myself that if I can do it in my own kitchen then why can't I do it in front of people?" she said, before once again venturing into the Sheffield traffic to prepare for two concerts at the City Hall.

Read the review from Nicola's concerts: Nicola Benedetti, City Hall