Group Quartets with Tedesca String Quartet

A string quartet like no other - join professional musicians from the Tedesca Quartet and other like minded players in this large scale group chamber course. Delve deeper into the intricate and rousing music of Brahms’s String Quartet No 2 in A minor, and enjoy music-making with our tutors; Nic Fallowfield, Jenny Curtis, Richard Muncey and Clare Bhabra of the Tedesca Quartet, whose innovative approach to Group Quartets involves sitting and playing within the group and approaching everything together as large-scale chamber music. You’ll gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of our chosen musical work, and experience how a professional string quartet goes about preparing for rehearsals and performance. You will also enjoy a public recital from the Tedesca Quartet, included in your course fee.

By the end of the course, you will: Immerse yourself in Brahms’ String Quartet No 2 in A minor, gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of its musical inner workings. Get insight into how a professional string quartet goes about rehearsing and preparing a new piece. Meet and play with a range of other string musicians in an inspiring and relaxed environment. Enjoy the Tedesca Quartet’s public performance offering a fresh perspective on the piece you’ve been studying.

We start out by sitting in a large circle and having a first play-through of the music together. In the following session, the Tedesca Quartet move into the centre of the room facing outwards to their respective sections, and we rehearse in that formation. The quartet often ‘revolves’ so that the four sections of the large group get a different perspective on the sound.

This course is for viola, violin and cello players of a Confident or Skilful standard (as outlined in the Benslow Guide to Standards) who are looking for experience playing as part of a large chamber quartet. It’s open to both solo players and players in existing quartets.

We will share music with you in advance of the course. Please bring music for your own parts and remember to number the bars before you come. The first complete bar counts as bar 1.