The Quartet Project, created by composer Geoffrey Hudson from 2007-2014, is a collection of new music for graduated string quartets composed in six volumes. Modeled on Béla Bartók's Mikrokosmos, and meant for musicians of all ages, it offers modern music for students' chamber studies beginning in Volume 1 with introductory pieces that are "easy contemporary music for string quartet", and become increasingly more difficult though Volume 6. The Quartet Project provides music which is "contemporary in sound and technique " early in players' studies, and is structured to accompany players as they advance to concert-level performance. The Quartet Project has been workshopped and performed at, among other places, , Drake University's Community School of Music, the , , the , in Cummington, Massachusetts, and the in New York City.
Music
Selections include: Beginner Miniatures
Digital world , performance by Brooklyn Rider in the July 2013 Quartet Project Challenge.
Slow motion river, performance by returning judges the Chiara String Quartet in the April 2013 Quartet Project Challenge.
While away, performance by the Miró String Quartet in the February 2013 Quartet Project Challenge.
Brass echoes, performance by the in the October 2012Quartet Project Challenge.
Intermediate Miniatures
Doo-wop, performance by Brooklyn Rider in July 2013 Quartet Project Challenge.
Things you can do with your boots on, performance by returning judges, the Chiara String Quartet in the April 2013 Quartet Project Challenge.
Hijinks, performance by the Miró String Quartet in the February 2013 Quartet Project Challenge.
Swagger, performance by the in the October 2012 Quartet Project Challenge.
Advanced Miniatures
Elegy, performance by Brooklyn Rider in July 2013 Quartet Project Challenge.
Caper, performance by returning judges, the Chiara String Quartet in the April 2013 Quartet Project Challenge.
Lunging, performance by the Miró String Quartet in the February 2013 Quartet Project Challenge.
Swing for the fences, performance by the in the October 2012 Quartet Project Challenge.
Additional Examples:
Volume I: Four views of a simple tune and Clang factor
Volume II: Circular song and Widening circle
Volume III: Quadricycle and Flirt's waltz
Volume IV: Broken lines and Sevens
Volume V: Starting point and Lullaby
Volume VI: Hang time and Compulsion
Workshop partners
The Quartet Project tested its music with string students and faculty coaches in workshop settings hosted by its partner organizations, followed by a mini-residency with composer Geoffrey Hudson. The following organizations have hosted Quartet Project workshops: , Drake University's Community School of Music, the , , the , and the .
''Quartet project challenges''
Quartetville is a virtual meeting place for string players of all abilities. The Quartetville website has been using Quartet Project miniatures to develop a Quartet Project Challenge concept. This concept represents a series of free, world-wide online masterclasses for players of all ages and abilities. Quartetville seeks to expand the Challenges to identify and use appropriate level quartet pieces from the complete string quartet repertory in order to offer young quartets entry points into playing string quartets. In the Challenges, young quartets learn directly from high level professionals in a free, online environment. Quartet Project Challenge have been hosted by the following professional quartets:
Communities have come together to dedicate Volumes of the Quartet Project to master teachers:
Volume III: dedicated to Sally Robinson Bagg, music and cello teacher at the Smith Campus School and director of junior in Cummington, MA from 1983 to 2012.
Volume VI: dedicated to Leopold Teraspulsky and Jacqueline Melnick, founders and directors of the Musicorda Chamber Music Institute and Festival in South Hadley, MA.
