Chamber music for Strings
Chamber music is a fundamental component of both undergraduate and postgraduate studies. It sits at the heart of the Strings department and is the means through which aspiring young artists discover how their musical personality functions, how they might combine it with that of others, how to share a concept of sound and how to communicate a shared vision to an audience.
Coaching with eminent chamber musicians is provided for all concerts and projects, and there are violin, viola and cello teachers on the teaching faculty with special responsibility for chamber music coaching. These include members of the Maggini, Alberni, and Endellion Quartets. Visiting quartets (Skampa, Vanbrugh) regularly give classes and there is support from Ian Brown and members of the keyboard faculty for piano chamber music with strings. All string players audition annually for Academy orchestral chairs and to join the Royal Academy Soloists, an elite string ensemble of fourteen players directed by Clio Gould which performs around the UK and abroad.
Performances by chamber ensembles are an integral part of Academy life. In addition to their degree requirements, students are invited to perform in themed series, high-profile ‘free on Fridays’ concerts, composer festivals and numerous recital series in London and further afield. The ensemble prizes are greatly coveted and are adjudicated by distinguished visiting chamber musicians.
