Speed Dating for Strings and Piano

About Speed Dating for Strings and Piano

For musicians seeking collaborators and partners, this course offers an ideal opportunity to meet and play with a diverse group of string and piano players, led by expert players from the Tedesca Quartet. We’ll be exploring chamber music in various combinations, including trios, quartets and quintets.

What is the course about?

If you’re looking to find that perfect musical partnership, this course offers a unique opportunity to ‘speed date’ with a variety of string and piano players in a timetable of hour-long sessions, where you’ll play in different groups every time. Enjoy an intensive and hugely rewarding week here at our beautiful campus in Hitchin. Come away feeling inspired, and connect with new collaborators to further expand your music-making. You’ll explore an exciting range of repertoire, including Beethoven's dramatic Piano Trio Op 70, No 2; Fauré’s elegant and lyrical Piano Quartet Op 15, and Mendelssohn's soaring String Quartet in D Op 44, No 1 - alongside other works of your own choosing.

What will you learn?

By the end of the course you will: Enjoy playing with a wide variety of musicians in various different groupings, meeting potential new friends and collaborators along the way. Challenge yourself with a range of repertoire and develop your sight-reading and technical skills. Hone your musical listening, responsiveness and collaboration skills - and enjoy an intensive week of music-making. Come away with new insights and potential new partnerships to expand your musical horizons.

How will the course be taught?

You’ll meet and play with a different combination of musicians in each session, likely with a different work to explore too. For the first half of the session, you’ll receive coaching from one of the Tedesca Quartet players, before having time to practice alone in your group.

Who is the course for?

For skilful players of the following instruments: violin, viola, cello and piano, who are seeking musical partners or collaborators. You’ll need to have confident sight reading skills as you’ll be working through a wide range of repertoire at speed. Due to the need to balance the groups, we can only accept two piano players. We recommend booking early to secure your place.

Will music be provided and do you need to prepare or bring anything?

We’ll share a full list of repertoire for the course at least two weeks in advance. Please familiarise yourself with the music and bring copies of each piece with you. You are also welcome to suggest pieces you would like to try - please let us know in advance.

What we need from you

PLEASE NOTE FOR MEMBERS:

You will need to register your interest for this course between Tuesday 9 December and midday on Wednesday 7 January 2026. This can be done by the form below or phone. Ballots sent to us before the priority booking period opens will not be eligible.

Any remaining spaces at the end of the ballot will be released as part of general booking.

Once the ballot has closed, names will be drawn at random to allocate course places. You will receive notice of the outcome by Friday 9 January 2026. Anyone not allocated a place will automatically be added to the waiting list and notified if a space becomes available.