Exploring Chamber Music
Strings

Full Year Registration

Tuition: $250 for all 5 terms
Mondays @ 10:00 am

2024-25
Term 1: September 16th, 23rd, 30th, October 7th, 14th, 21st
Term 2: October 28th, November 4th, 11th, 18th, December 2nd, 9th
Term 3: January 27th, February 3rd, 10th, 24th, March 3rd, 10th
Term 4: March 17th, 24th, 31st, April 7th, 21st, 28th
Term 5: May 5th, 12th, 19th, June 2nd, 9th, 16th

Piano openings for 2024-25 are filled. If you are interested in joining as a pianist, please email the instructor.

In this class, intermediate and advanced musicians will explore string quartet music of a different featured composer each term. Our goal is not to master a piece of work, but to be able to play through the piece and explore insights about these pieces as building blocks for the quartets that follow them. Through this, participants will build confidence in repertoire which otherwise might be somewhat daunting to undertake in the usual one-person-on-a-part quartet mode. All improve musically through side-by-side playing with a professional musician and with each other.

Parts are provided FREE online, via links from the class webpage. Participants download and print their music in advance of each rehearsal. Please also number the measure numbers of your parts before class. 

Not sure if this is for you? Contact Kerry Bollinger here or join us for a free rehearsal to see for yourself! Please note that there are limited openings for pianists. Contact the office for more information.

September - October

September 16th, 23rd, 30th
October 7th, 14th, 21st

View Repertoire: Piano Quartet No 1 in G minor, K 478 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Term 1 Registraion

Tuition: $50 per term

All piano openings are filled for this term.

October - December

October 28th
November 4th, 11th, 18th
December 2nd, 9th

View Repertoire: Piano Quartet No 2. in D Major, WoO 36 - Ludwig van Beethoven

Term 2 Registration

Tuition: $50 per term

All piano openings are filled for this term.

January - March

January 27th
February 3rd, 10th, 24th
March 3rd, 10th

View Repertoire: Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 1 - Felix Mendelssoh

Term 3 Registration

Tuition: $50 per term

All piano openings are filled for this term.

March - April

March 17th, 24th, 31st
April 7th, 21st, 28th

View Repertoire: Piano Quartet No. 1  in D Major, Op. 23 - Antonin Dvorak

Term 4 Registration

Tuition: $50 per term

All piano openings are filled for this term.

May - June

May 5th, 12th, 19th
June 2nd, 9th, 16th

View Repertoire: Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 - Johannes Brahms

Term 5 Registration

Tuition: $50 per term

All piano openings are filled for this term.

What people are saying

“For me the joy and reward of this  whole first year of Exploring Chamber Music has been exploring the repertoire-- a different quartet each week or two, with the opportunity to play and expand in a systematic way  the quartets that we have actually engaged with, without concerns about perfection. For me the main value has been  in the joy of  exploring and expanding my OWN repertoire/SHARED repertoire,  building the skills and confidence that such exploration enables. This ensemble is unique in offering that opportunity; quite a refreshing contrast with the familiar 'perfecting-one-piece-for-performance' structure.”

— April 2020 Participant

Current Repertoire:

All of the pieces this year are Piano Quartets, scored for Piano, Violin, Viola, and Cello. Violins, there is only one violin part for each quartet, instead of the normal Violin 1 and Violin 2 parts that you're used to in quartets. Violins will have a lot of support on their part this year since there will be so many of you on the same part.

Term 2: October - December

Piano Quartet No 2. in D Major, WoO 36 - Ludwig van Beethoven
1st and 2nd Movements
*adding the 3rd movement will be determined after first class

Term 3: January - March

Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 1 - Felix Mendelssohn
1st and 2nd Movements
*adding the 4th movement will be determined after first class,
can also add 3rd movement if there is interest

Term 4: March - April

Piano Quartet No. 1  in D Major, Op. 23 - Antonin Dvorak
1st and 2nd movements
*adding the 3rd movement will be determined after first class

Term 5: May - June

Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 - Johannes Brahms
1st and 4th movements
*adding or removing movements will be determined after first class

Previous Repertoire:

Piano Quartet No 1 in G minor, K 478 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Mvt I and Mvt II.

Violin, Viola, Cello, Piano & Score

Franz Schubert - String Quartet No. 14 in d minor ("Death and the Maiden"). Mvt II and Mvt IV

Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Fanny (Mendelssohn) Hensel - String Quartet in E-flat Major, HelH 277
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - String Quartet No. 14 in G Major, K. 387
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

A. Corelli - Concerto Grosso op. 6 no. 8 "Christmas Concerto"
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

J.S. Bach - the Art of Fugue - BWV 1080
Violin I, Violin II, Violin III, Viola, Cello, Score

Franz Schubert - String Quartet in D Minor, D 810 “Death and the Maiden I. Allegro
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Alexander Borodin - String Quartet No. 1 in A Major, II. Andante con moto
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Alexander Borodin - String Quartet No. 2 in D Major, I. Allegro moderato
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Ludwig van Beethoven - String Quartet no. 7 in F Major Op. 59, No.1, I. Allegro
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Ludwig van Beethoven - String Quartet in C Major Op. 59, No. 3, IV. Allegro Molto
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - String Quartet 23, KV 590
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - String Quartet 21, KV 575
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Beethoven: String Quartet Op. 18, No. 4
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Beethoven: String Quartet Op. 18, No. 1
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Franz Schubert String Quartet No.10, D 87, Op 125, No. 1
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Haydn Later Period: String Quartet in G Major, Hob.III:75; Op. 76, No. 1 "Erdody"
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Haydn Middle Period: String Quartet in F-sharp minor, Hob. III:47; Op. 50, No.4 "The Prussian"
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Haydn Early Period: String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Hob. III:31 ; Op. 20, No.1 "the Sun"
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Mozart String Quartet No. 20 K 499
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Schubert's Quartet No. 13 in A minor (the Rosamunde Quartet), D. 804, Op. 29
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Mozart Quartet in C Major - K 465
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Mozart Quartet in A Major, K. 464:
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Mozart Quartet K458, No. 17:
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Mozart Quartet K157, No. 4:
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Score

Mozart Quartets K171, K172, K173:
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello

Mozart Quartets K168, K169, K170
Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello

Score: K168, Score: K169, Score: K170

Mozart K158, K159, K160
Beethoven Op. 18, No. 3
Haydn Op. 20, Nos. 4 and 5

Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello