EDUCATION, OUTREACH AND SERVICES
We want to share the string quartet repertoire with as wide an audience as possible, and so education and outreach projects are extremely important to us. We firmly believe in the unifying nature of music, in its power to inspire and connect people across different ages and backgrounds. We are dedicated to performing and interacting with audiences in different settings, whether that be as part of an interactive concert or in the form of private chamber music coaching. Please see below for a range of education and outreach services which we can offer.
Interactive Concerts
We offer a range of more informal and interactive concerts which can be tailored to suit all ages. These concerts are particularly effective in both primary and secondary schools. These interactive concerts typically last between 30 and 60 minutes, and involve performances of either whole shorter works, movements of works, and (depending on the setting and audience) sometimes extracts of movements. We will discuss the repertoire we have chosen to perform, and answer any questions the audience might have about either the music we play and the composers themselves, or more general questions about performing life as a string quartet!
We choose repertoire that we love and that we feel showcase the string quartet at its best, in order to engage and stimulate our audience; our repertoire page contains a comprehensive list of our current repertoire.
Composers Workshops
We offer composers the opportunity to have their compositions performed and discussed in private workshops, involving close collaboration between us and the composer. These workshops can take place on an hourly basis, or can extend across several days. Composers would be expected to be open to discussion and to the possibility of some of their material changing across the length of the workshop.
House Concerts
Our 'House Concerts' give audience members and clients the opportunity to host a chamber music concert in their own homes for their chosen guests. Repertoire and recital length can be tailored to suit the wishes of the client; for more information regarding our current repertoire, please see our repertoire list on the designated page above.
Seminars and Lecture Recitals
Our lecture recitals and seminars again are tailored to suit the audience in question, but are generally intended for an older audience from secondary school upwards. They typically last between 1 hour and 1 hour and 45mins with a short break, depending on the theme and setting. For secondary school children we would tend to present a 1 hour interactive seminar. In these lecture recitals we again perform a variety of either one to two whole works or relevant movements to suit the topic of the lecture, discussing the music in detail and placing it within a wider historical and musical framework.
Some examples of different topics for lecture recitals include:
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A Brief History of the String Quartet: Music, Arts and Politics from the Renaissance to the Present Day
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The Classical String Quartet: Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven
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The 'Modern' String Quartet: The Development of String Quartet in the 20th century
Chamber Coaching and Teaching
We offer chamber music coaching for all ages and abilities, on either an hourly, half-day, or full-day basis. We would recommend that ensembles have prepared their music in advance, so that they get the most out of the experience. These coaching sessions can be either private or in a 'masterclass' format, and can be in the form of a one-off session, more regular teaching, or can even be incorporated into a wider school music programme. If groups would like a series of sessions/courses, or more regular teaching, we can also arrange for a showcase performance at the end of the teaching programme.
If you would like to hire us, or for more information about any of our services above, please send an email or fill out the form below. We welcome any suggestions and requests, so please do get in touch with us!