My boys took out their instruments without being prompted and played together at home (for the first time!) the morning after the BBC ten pieces workshop. C asked if he could take his cello into school to play Mars for his class. Thank you for inspiring them. They had a great day."
Parent of two cellists, aged 9 and 7
What We Offer
We offer a variety of workshops, catering for players of all ages and levels of experience. We explore a range of repertoire and approach the different challenges of playing a stringed instrument in a structured and fun way.
The majority of our workshops are designed to cater for string players from complete beginners (playing only open strings) to intermediate and advanced players. During these workshops, more advanced players are challenged to develop refined ensemble skills and may also take on the role of mentors.
Some events are targeted specifically at more or less experienced players. To check the suitability for your participant please refer to the Grade level given within the workshop detail. If Grade 0 is indicated this means that complete beginners are welcome to attend and there will be some easy open string parts.
All of our workshops include non-instrument based games and activities designed to engage our minds and bodies to make learning easy and fun.
We currently run the following series of workshops:
Building Blocks
Half day workshops focusing on building essential musical foundation skills: e.g. pulse, rhythm, posture, listening & reading. Suitable for complete beginners playing open strings to more advanced players who are looking to build confidence, fluency and improve sight-reading skills.
Tasty Bites
Half day workshops aiming to give a flavour of a particular theme or style of music. Tasty Bites are a lead-in to full day workshops which cover the themes in greater depth.
Technical Masters
Half day workshops that focus on a particular aspect of string technique, presented in a fun and creative way; e.g. position shifting, bow division, spiccato bowing, pizzicato etc.
Immersive Days
Full day workshops in which to explore musical themes, styles and techniques in depth and in detail.
Visit our News and Gallery page to see some of our previous events and to get a feel for what we're about.
The majority of our workshops are designed to cater for string players from complete beginners (playing only open strings) to intermediate and advanced players. During these workshops, more advanced players are challenged to develop refined ensemble skills and may also take on the role of mentors.
Some events are targeted specifically at more or less experienced players. To check the suitability for your participant please refer to the Grade level given within the workshop detail. If Grade 0 is indicated this means that complete beginners are welcome to attend and there will be some easy open string parts.
All of our workshops include non-instrument based games and activities designed to engage our minds and bodies to make learning easy and fun.
We currently run the following series of workshops:
Building Blocks
Half day workshops focusing on building essential musical foundation skills: e.g. pulse, rhythm, posture, listening & reading. Suitable for complete beginners playing open strings to more advanced players who are looking to build confidence, fluency and improve sight-reading skills.
Tasty Bites
Half day workshops aiming to give a flavour of a particular theme or style of music. Tasty Bites are a lead-in to full day workshops which cover the themes in greater depth.
Technical Masters
Half day workshops that focus on a particular aspect of string technique, presented in a fun and creative way; e.g. position shifting, bow division, spiccato bowing, pizzicato etc.
Immersive Days
Full day workshops in which to explore musical themes, styles and techniques in depth and in detail.
Visit our News and Gallery page to see some of our previous events and to get a feel for what we're about.
Wow! I can't believe we learned that in three hours. It would normally take us a whole term of rehearsals to learn that."
Tasty Bite of Pop participant
Past Events
2023
Weekly Chamber Music Programme on Mondays
June
String Quartet performance for Mayor Making Ceremony in Bath Abbey
December
Sparkling Strings Festive Workshop, 10th December
2022
Weekly Chamber Music Programme on Mondays
August
Summer Let's Talk About Latin 2-day course at Wiltshire Music Centre
2021
May
Weekly Chamber Music Programme for young people re-commenced
2020
February
2nd February: Adult Chamber Retreat at Rudge Hall 10.00am - 4.30pm
17th and 18th February: Ready, Steady Improvise! - Half Term workshops
2019
January
Sunday 20th January 10am - 1pm - Mystery and Intrigue
A half-day workshop looking at music full of suspense from stage and screen.
Sunday 20th January 2pm - 5pm - rehearsals for February concerts
February
Saturday 2nd Feb: Ensemble 360 concert trip and Foyer Concert at Wiltshire Music Centre
Tuesday 5th Feb: St George's Hall Bristol Showcase Concert
Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd 10am - 4pm: 1/2 Term Holiday Workshops (wraparound care available)
March
Mid Somerset Festival: solo, chamber and ensemble entries
May
Friday 10th May 6.30pm: Sam Sweeney concert trip and Foyer Concert at Wiltshire Music Centre
Sunday 12th May: Bath String Academy and Friends - BBC Ten Pieces Orchestral Workshop with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor and BBC Workshop Leader, Patrick Bailey
June
Friday 21st June 6pm - Foyer performance and VIP concert at St George's Hall, Bristol followed by a concert by Rachel Podger and The OAE
Sunday 23rd June 10am - 1pm - Strange Creatures half-day workshop (come to one or stay all day)
Sunday 23rd June 2 pm- 5pm - Strange Creatures half-day workshop
August
28th - 30th August: Summer Music Academy
September
22nd September: Adult Chamber Retreat at Rudge Hall 10.00am - 4.30pm
29th September: Strictly Tango 2! - immersive day 10.00am - 4.15pm
October
20th October: A Tasty Bite of First String Group - half day 9.45am - 12.45pm for beginners
20th October: Technical Masters: Spectacular Spiccato - half day 2.00pm - 5.00pm for Grade 2 +
December
1st December: Christmas workshop
2018
January:
Beginners’ workshop; Chamber workshop; Tango workshop
March:
Tasty Bite of Pop Music workshop; Tasty Bite of Baroque workshop; Chamber Class winners in Mid-Somerset Festival; performance at Festival Final Concert
April:
Beginners’ workshop; Tasty Bite of Pop Music; Chamber workshop
May:
BBC Ten Pieces Intergenerational Community Orchestral Workshop at Bath Spa University; European String Teachers Association Regional Officers’ ‘Best Practice’ Teachers’ Discussion and Meet-Up with Mendelssohn Octet play-through
June:
Greatest Showman Workshop; Folk music Workshop
July:
Quartet performances at Music for Youth Finals in Birmingham and Glastonbury Abbey
August:
Summer Academy with Villiers Quartet
September:
Star Wars Meets Mars workshop
October:
Workshop with Nicola Benedetti at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; Chamber music taster sessions; prepared students for National Children’s Orchestra auditions
November:
Public masterclass for our junior string quartet with The Berkeley Ensemble at Wiltshire Music Centre; Deeds Not Words workshop in collaboration with Scordatura Women’s Music Collective
December:
Quartet performance for Music For Youth; collaborative workshop and performance with The People’s String Foundation; Sparkling Strings Workshop
2017
March:
String Fun Day
June:
The Musical Jigsaw workshop
August:
Summer Academy at Wiltshire Music Centre
November:
Tasty Bite of First String Group, Tasty Bite of Folk Music & Tasty Bite of Chamber Music (Bath); Tasty Bite of First String Group workshop & Tasty Bite of Pop workshop at Wiltshire Rural Music School; field trip to take a group of students to see Nicola Benedetti with Bath Philharmonia
2016
November:
Half day workshop for beginners; half day workshop for intermediate players
Weekly Chamber Music Programme on Mondays
June
String Quartet performance for Mayor Making Ceremony in Bath Abbey
December
Sparkling Strings Festive Workshop, 10th December
2022
Weekly Chamber Music Programme on Mondays
August
Summer Let's Talk About Latin 2-day course at Wiltshire Music Centre
2021
May
Weekly Chamber Music Programme for young people re-commenced
2020
February
2nd February: Adult Chamber Retreat at Rudge Hall 10.00am - 4.30pm
17th and 18th February: Ready, Steady Improvise! - Half Term workshops
2019
January
Sunday 20th January 10am - 1pm - Mystery and Intrigue
A half-day workshop looking at music full of suspense from stage and screen.
Sunday 20th January 2pm - 5pm - rehearsals for February concerts
February
Saturday 2nd Feb: Ensemble 360 concert trip and Foyer Concert at Wiltshire Music Centre
Tuesday 5th Feb: St George's Hall Bristol Showcase Concert
Thursday 21st and Friday 22nd 10am - 4pm: 1/2 Term Holiday Workshops (wraparound care available)
March
Mid Somerset Festival: solo, chamber and ensemble entries
May
Friday 10th May 6.30pm: Sam Sweeney concert trip and Foyer Concert at Wiltshire Music Centre
Sunday 12th May: Bath String Academy and Friends - BBC Ten Pieces Orchestral Workshop with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor and BBC Workshop Leader, Patrick Bailey
June
Friday 21st June 6pm - Foyer performance and VIP concert at St George's Hall, Bristol followed by a concert by Rachel Podger and The OAE
Sunday 23rd June 10am - 1pm - Strange Creatures half-day workshop (come to one or stay all day)
Sunday 23rd June 2 pm- 5pm - Strange Creatures half-day workshop
August
28th - 30th August: Summer Music Academy
September
22nd September: Adult Chamber Retreat at Rudge Hall 10.00am - 4.30pm
29th September: Strictly Tango 2! - immersive day 10.00am - 4.15pm
October
20th October: A Tasty Bite of First String Group - half day 9.45am - 12.45pm for beginners
20th October: Technical Masters: Spectacular Spiccato - half day 2.00pm - 5.00pm for Grade 2 +
December
1st December: Christmas workshop
2018
January:
Beginners’ workshop; Chamber workshop; Tango workshop
March:
Tasty Bite of Pop Music workshop; Tasty Bite of Baroque workshop; Chamber Class winners in Mid-Somerset Festival; performance at Festival Final Concert
April:
Beginners’ workshop; Tasty Bite of Pop Music; Chamber workshop
May:
BBC Ten Pieces Intergenerational Community Orchestral Workshop at Bath Spa University; European String Teachers Association Regional Officers’ ‘Best Practice’ Teachers’ Discussion and Meet-Up with Mendelssohn Octet play-through
June:
Greatest Showman Workshop; Folk music Workshop
July:
Quartet performances at Music for Youth Finals in Birmingham and Glastonbury Abbey
August:
Summer Academy with Villiers Quartet
September:
Star Wars Meets Mars workshop
October:
Workshop with Nicola Benedetti at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama; Chamber music taster sessions; prepared students for National Children’s Orchestra auditions
November:
Public masterclass for our junior string quartet with The Berkeley Ensemble at Wiltshire Music Centre; Deeds Not Words workshop in collaboration with Scordatura Women’s Music Collective
December:
Quartet performance for Music For Youth; collaborative workshop and performance with The People’s String Foundation; Sparkling Strings Workshop
2017
March:
String Fun Day
June:
The Musical Jigsaw workshop
August:
Summer Academy at Wiltshire Music Centre
November:
Tasty Bite of First String Group, Tasty Bite of Folk Music & Tasty Bite of Chamber Music (Bath); Tasty Bite of First String Group workshop & Tasty Bite of Pop workshop at Wiltshire Rural Music School; field trip to take a group of students to see Nicola Benedetti with Bath Philharmonia
2016
November:
Half day workshop for beginners; half day workshop for intermediate players
Congratulations on organising such a fantastic day of music making. A and L loved the whole day and the performance was great."