Teaching Chamber Music to Young String Players at Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester By Graham Oppenheimer
I was 12 years old, at a Summer School and I can still vividly recall my first experience of chamber music. The Finale of Mozart Quartet in G major K 387 amazed me with its ingenious construction, and the freedom and brilliance of my own voice. I realised that my part mattered in this wonderful new medium. This was a real “Lightbulb Moment” that has remained with me always. Since that day, I feel privileged to have had a career dedicated to chamber music and as Senior Chamber Music Tutor at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, I am now able to create such opportunities for others. Together with our team of dedicated teachers, we feel passionately about the importance of chamber music for young string players and recognise that one of our very important tasks is overseeing Lightbulb Moments for our own students.
Many students arrive at Chets having never played chamber music before, and we introduce them to experiences which can be among the most dynamic and exciting available to string players. While researching this article, I spoke with many of our former students about their chamber music experiences at Chetham’s. Russian cellist Mikhail Nemstov (Chetham’s student 2005-07, International Soloist and Chamber Musician) remembers “I came from a background where my learning was almost entirely based on the relationship with my cello. At Chetham’s a whole new beautiful world of chamber music opened before me, I really learnt about making music as a team”. Many former and current students recall similar first- time memories.
Chamber Music is fully integrated into the life of the school and there is a strong educational structure to the programme, in which students clearly understand where they fit:
Age group Chamber music content per week Lower School Two 45 minute lessons, as at this stage they are too young to rehearse effectively (ages 8-13) alone. Middle School One 1 hour lesson and minimum of one supervised rehearsal, often with staff (13-16) and/or a senior student available to help, as they are still learning practical rehearsal skills. Senior Students One 1 hour lesson and minimum of one self-organised rehearsal (they often do (16-18) more).
In any given year, almost 100 students are members of string chamber ensembles, which can range from Kodaly Duo to Schubert Octet, and everything in between. This also includes collaborations with our other Departments of Keyboard, Wind, Brass and Composition. With the wonderful depth and masterpieces that exist within the string chamber music repertoire, we choose a balanced and appropriate programme that further increases knowledge, as the students listen to each other during the year.
We take a pedagogical approach to teaching chamber music and as technical mastery emerges, so can creativity. Our programme is designed to both inspire and to develop a “nuts and bolts” understanding of how to play in ensembles: matching bow strokes, tuning chords, listening so you can decide your role and balance your voice. I tell them that the String Quartet is itself an “instrument” that they must master, in the same way their individual lessons give a technical grounding to their own playing. If as an ensemble they can do the same thing together at the same time, they cannot be wrong! Many former students have gone on to major careers at the cutting-edge of chamber music in the UK, Europe and beyond. Cellist Jonathan Dormand (2004-06, award winning Verona Quartet USA, Quartet in Residence Oberlin Conservatory) remembers playing Tchaikovsky Sextet “Souvenir de Florence” and Schubert String Quintet. “It lit a fire in me and engendered a love for and importance of chamber music that has lasted ever since”. Violinist Mathieu van Bellen (2002-06, co-founder Busch Trio) fully appreciated the structure of the programme: “At conservatoire, I realised just how much the organisation of the programme had benefitted me. We suddenly had to organise our own colleagues, schedule rehearsals and rooms, and that support system was greatly missed”. Now van Bellen has founded “MuzikHaven” near Amsterdam, a centre for emerging chamber musicians to stay, rehearse, reflect and record, providing for others that support system that he so valued at Chets, and which is so essential to creative freedom.
The art of being a successful chamber ensemble, is of course far more complicated than many students realise. They discover that coming together as a group takes many more skills than just instrumental ability. Part of my role is helping the students to manage relationships within their groups, with the difficulties that differences in emotional, technical and musical maturity can bring. Nick Jones (former Cellist Bochmann Quartet) became Head of Strings in 1996 and emphasises “students need to understand that in an ensemble they have a responsibility for and towards each other”. After his arrival, Jones brought chamber music into the core of the weekly timetable. He also brought in a teacher remembered by some as a Chamber Music Guru, the late Dr Christopher Rowland (Fitzwilliam Quartet). Violinist Magnus Johnston (1996-98, Navarra Quartet) recollects that “Chris made my life. He instilled a seriousness of approach that has always stayed with me.” His brother (there are many siblings at school) cellist Guy Johnston (1994-99, International Soloist and Chamber Musician), has memories of Rowland’s “infectious teaching - he made us want to play out of our skins”. In choosing visiting teachers, we now try to find exactly this type of inspirational thinking.
Jones also established the structure of one lesson, one rehearsal, and started the Lower School programme, now run by violinist Dr Owen Cox, Assistant Head of Strings and former Chets student (1997-99, Chamber Musician). He remembers himself working with Rowland: “He would find surprising and novel ways to approach both the music and ensemble aspects. In that spirit, we are now trying to develop skills for the 21st century, so that chamber music moves both with and beyond its traditional core”. These include improvisation, working with peers in the composition department, increasing education outreach work delivered by the students, allowing students to make choices about how they experience their chamber music and more contemporary music. We hope these bold plans will keep our educational experience at the forefront of the changing world and create rounded musicians prepared for the challenges of the current world.
Such challenges were recently highlighted during the period of lockdown, when we found a way to continue our Programme online using a “layering” system. Students and staff alike showed their creativity, ingenuity and energy in order to do this, producing many inspiring and unexpected Lightbulb Moments as a result.
In addition to musical excellence, Chetham’s students receive an outstanding level of academic teaching across a full range of subjects, part of the school’s holistic programme that helps to strengthen students approach to chamber music even further. Students also develop an understanding of the historical, musical and social context of their repertoire. Violinist Magdelana Loth-Hill (2006-09, award winning Consone Quartet), now specialises in Historically Informed Performance. Her Lightbulb Moment was bringing an academic understanding to her chamber music: “I distinctly remember a session with violist Simon Rowland-Jones on a Haydn quartet, using his excellent Peters Edition. The investigative skills he introduced were fascinating to me then and even more so now.”
As well as an emphasis on lessons, rehearsals and masterclasses, we have a framework of performance opportunities which are integral to the programme. This structure is important for students to understand the work required and where they sit within this. It begins with Performance Classes, where students perform and give feedback to each other. We find there are powerful benefits of peer to peer learning. This is followed by an internal Lunchtime Concert, where they perform in a formal setting for external visitors and fellow students. We also have many outside concert opportunities that offer the chance for students to explore our many strong relationships with smaller concert promoters, festivals and leading venues around the UK, mirroring the professional experience for which many are preparing. Students have performed at Wigmore Hall, all UK conservatoires and many venues in Europe and beyond. These concerts provide memories the students never forget.
Jan Repko (internationally recognised Violin Pedagogue and member of staff) attracts students from around the world: “We have an excellent Chamber Music Programme which is vital to the musical development of young musicians. Students are often coached by visiting internationally renowned chamber musicians and pedagogues. With so many concert opportunities, I see it as one of the great strengths of Chetham’s”. Several regular outstanding international visiting teachers play an enormous role in the vibrancy of our programme. Our students find cellist David Waterman (Endellion Quartet) very inspiring and I often refer students to his chapter Playing Quartets in The Cambridge Companion to the String Quartet. He says: “I like to provide a toolkit for student interpretation, as there are many groups I see elsewhere who wait for the teacher to interpret the music for them”. Violinist Pavel Fischer (co-founder Skampa Quartet), loves to see the progression of students through the school and out into the profession, “The vibrancy and energy of the students is very inspiring for me personally and seeing them emerge into the conservatoire world and beyond is incredibly satisfying”. Another regular visitor is cellist Christof Richter (former cellist Cherubini Quartet): “I am always asking questions, and often find that Chetham’s students are able to offer creative answers, and to react and respond in sessions, a skill which is unusual in musicians of their age”.
Chetham’s is blessed with extraordinary facilities that also enrich the programme. Many of our alumni and teachers have fond memories of lessons and concerts in Baronial Hall, part of the medieval buildings, built from 1421, which house Chetham’s Library, the oldest library in the English-speaking world. In 2012 Chetham’s was transformed by the opening of the New School Building, a superb space for learning with acoustically designed practice and performance rooms and bright academic and social spaces, which provide an ideal and modern atmosphere for our students and visitors. This also includes The Stoller Hall, a stunning new performance venue forging links between professional and student musicians. All of this takes place from within the context of Chetham’s thriving city centre location, which anchors our students firmly in the real world.
We have developed several collaborations with other leading institutions. Close ties with Barratt Due Institute in Oslo, a similar school to our own, were established in 2010, where we exchange students for two periods each year, who rehearse for concerts at one another’s schools. Many lasting friendships have been formed through this collaboration and the student’s eyes opened to the international nature of the profession. With my counterpart, cellist Kari Ravnan (Oslo Philharmonic, International Chamber Musician) we have examined each other’s chamber programmes, where each institution has something different to offer. Our pedagogical and structured approach to chamber music is a model that the Barratt Due admire, and we have learnt from their creative and forward thinking approach to repertoire and programming. This exchange has played an important part in both our programmes.
Just down the road in Manchester, our close and renewed association with the Royal Northern College of Music creates many opportunities. Pianist Jeremy Young, Head of Chamber Music at RNCM, regularly sees all our groups with piano. He is building on the golden legacy of his predecessor Dr Christopher Rowland and refers to: “Our shared belief that listening is at the very core of any type of outstanding music making, understanding the score is essential for a convincing performance and that most of all, music is fun and chamber music is a social, cooperative and creative experience”. He now runs the annual RNCM Chamber Music Festival founded by Rowland, which is a great source of inspiration and special concerts for our students.
Violinist and former Chets student Callum Smart (2007-14, International Soloist and Chamber Musician) now teaches at RNCM. He remembers: “The expert mentorship guiding students through how to rehearse, what to say and how to listen, made the environment very special. My first memories and formal training of chamber music were at Chetham’s and I owe so much to that education”.
We also see our role as providing opportunities for others. With Wigmore Hall Learning, Chetham’s has previously hosted a National Young String Quartet Weekend. The NYSQW brought both school and conservatoire quartets from all over the country to our school, offering inspirational teaching, concerts, a unique atmosphere and networking. It also gave us the opportunity to stay connected with our own alumni.
Violinist and violist Emma Purslow (2007-12, Alkyona Quartet), has often returned to school. Her quartet came back to perform at the opening weekend of The Stoller Hall in 2017 and more recently she was a Visiting Artist for a “Side-by-Side” project we ran online during lockdown. She is a product of our aim to broaden the horizons of our students and feels that her experience at Chets gave her the determination to focus on Chamber Music. We encourage all violinists to play the viola in at least one chamber group during their time with us. This aids their development of sound, provides an awareness of the inner parts that is essential for any chamber musician and is also useful in a more abstract sense. Purslow says: “My introduction to the viola was seminal in terms of a perspective on my career. Every musician in the 21st century must have a well-rounded approach and be able to turn their hand to many things. One day you might be on the stage of Wigmore Hall, the next you might be giving a children’s concert in a car park. This adaptability was founded on my experiences at Chets.” It has been humbling to hear what positive and important memories our students, alumni and teachers have of chamber music at Chetham’s. We have perhaps created an influential and lasting structure for chamber music learning, a subject that is not easy to teach well. Recently a final year student told me: “We have all caught the chamber music bug!” I hope that Lightbulb Moment I experienced performing the Mozart Fugue Finale all those years ago, might continue to be created for our own students and remain with them as a spark of musical ingenuity, integrity and imaginative drive throughout their lifetimes.