String Weekend Nov 2010

On 27/28 November 2010, 17 of South West Music School’s talented string players joined together in Torquay to work with tutor Tim Boulton on an intensive string weekend.  The aim of the weekend was to work on ensemble technique, string technique and listening skills and this was done through small groups (string quartet style) as well as a large group piece.

The students were broken up into small groups between 4 and 6 and given a piece of ensemble music to work on.  Some of the quartets were imaginatively filled with a cello or 3^rd violin playing a viola part and a double bass playing a cello part!  They also came back together through the weekend to work on a Mozart piece for full string orchestra.

The roles of leadership were spread out among the students to give as many people as possible the opportunity to experience leading and also for those usually given a leadership role to have the opportunity to learn to follow.  Although, Tim stressed the point throughout the weekend that it is not ‘leader and followers’ but ‘leader and co-leaders’ which enabled the group to pull together as a team all working together for a common goal.

A performance was given to the parents on the final day as a showcase of the work that had been achieved that weekend and it was very well received.