Sheffield Quartet Workshops
15 November 2025
Location: Sheffield - Music Department, Sheffield Girls' School, Rutland Park, Sheffield, S10 2PE
The session will run from 9.30am to a closing play-through by participants starting at 4pm.
Featured Works - a short extract (approximately two pages for each part) from either of the following:
- For Intermediate Players: Haydn Op76 No 2, 1st Movement
- For Advanced Players: Mendelssohn Quartet No 1, 2nd Movement
Workshop Programme
9:00am - 9:30am: Coffee and Registration
We'll have tea and coffee ready for you on arrival, and copies of the day's music on hand for collection.
Just bring your instrument, a music stand and yourself!
9:45am - 10:30am: Introduction to Quartet Principles
The first session of the day will be a presentation from our tutors; over the course of the continuing workshops, these will cover topics of specific reference to playing in string quartets.
As an example, topics may include:
- Tuning;
- Communication;
- Bowing Grammar.
The presentation is intended to be a discussion, not a lecture, and our tutors will be illustrating their points with musical excerpts you are invited to play.
10:30am - 10:45am: Break / Move to Ensemble Rehearsal Rooms
10:45am - 11:30am: Ensemble Rehearsal Session 1
Our tutors will visit each of the ensemble groups during their rehearsal sessions, and offer advice and guidance targeting the day's closing performance.
We have violin, viola and cello-specific expertise, so each ensemble will have input from instrument specialists for each part of the ensemble.
Our aim is for our tutors to each visit each of the ensembles at least twice across each rehearsal session, providing feedback that will build upon each preceding round of advice.
11:30am - 11:45am: Break
11:45am - 12:30pm: Ensemble Rehearsal Session 2
Our tutors will visit each of the ensemble groups during their rehearsal sessions, and offer advice and guidance targeting the day's closing performance.
We have violin, viola and cello-specific expertise, so each ensemble will have input from instrument specialists for each part of the ensemble.
Our aim is for our tutors to each visit each of the ensembles at least twice across each rehearsal session, providing feedback that will build upon each preceding round of advice.
12:30pm - 1:15pm: Lunch
A lunch break of 45 minutes is scheduled.
Please bring a packed lunch with you; although there are shops and other outlets near the venue, there may not be enough time to nip out to get something on the day itself.
1:15pm - 2:00pm: Tackling String Ensemble Issues
After lunch we'll be back together as a group to talk through some common issues string quartets can face, and suggesting ideas and strategies to deal with them.
2:00pm - 2:15pm: Break / Move to Ensemble Rehearsal Rooms
2:15pm - 3:00pm: Ensemble Rehearsal Session 3
Our tutors will visit each of the ensemble groups during their rehearsal sessions, and offer advice and guidance targeting the day's closing performance.
We have violin, viola and cello-specific expertise, so each ensemble will have input from instrument specialists for each part of the ensemble.
Our aim is for our tutors to each visit each of the ensembles at least twice across each rehearsal session, providing feedback that will build upon each preceding round of advice.
3:00pm - 3:15pm: Break
3:15pm - 3:45pm: Ensemble Rehearsal Session 4
Our tutors will visit each of the ensemble groups during their rehearsal sessions, and offer advice and guidance targeting the day's closing performance.
We have violin, viola and cello-specific expertise, so each ensemble will have input from instrument specialists for each part of the ensemble.
Our aim is for our tutors to each visit each of the ensembles at least twice across each rehearsal session, providing feedback that will build upon each preceding round of advice.
3:45pm - 4:00pm: Break / Reconvene in Main Room
4:00pm - 4:30pm: Informal Playthrough and Close
To close out the day, each of the ensembles will have the option to play their selected work to fellow participants.
Typically each ensemble will play one short piece or movement from a String Quartet, perhaps four to six minutes in duration.
After the concert, our tutors will end the day's programme with some closing thoughts.
We will also provide an opportunity to collect participants' feedback on the session, which we will then use to inform the planning and delivery of future workshops.
The participant cost for the workshop will be £40 for the day.