Photographs from TAKACS QUARTET MASTERCLASS at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory

 

One of the world's finest string quartets, the Takács Quartet, was in town last week and gave a concert at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory. Having missed that, I made up by attending the masterclass its four members gave to students at the Conservatory. The Takács Quartet was formed in Budapest by four students from its Conservatory during the 1970s. Only two of its original members, violinist Karoly Schranz and cellist Andras Fejer, remain today in the ensemble. 

A small audience was treated to a mini-concert by the students, who performed one movement each from chamber works by Haydn, Beethoven and Dvorak. All of the Takács Quartet members were very impressed by high technical standards achieved and had high praise for the student groups. They took turns to advise the players, not so much on the technical aspects of their playing, but on issues of balance, phrasing and projection. Occasionally, some of the memebrs also picked up an instrument and demonstrated to the students. Two hours passed rather quickly and the young musicians had much to treasure from this experience. 

Cellist Andras Fejer moves to the music of Haydn,
as played by the first quartet.

Violinist Edward Dusinberre demonstrates on
first violinist Liu Minglun's instrument.

Violinist Karoly Schranz has some words
for the quartet which played Beethoven's Quartet Op.59 No.3.

Violist Geraldine Walther tries out Guo Xiaoti's viola.

Some of the players sat within the audience
to experience the balance achieved on stage.

Edward Dusinberre observes the quintet group that
performed Dvorak's Piano Quintet Op.81.

The Takács Quartet with violinuists Li Jing Jing and
Hsieh Li-Chung, violist Guo Xiaoti and cellist Theophilus Tan,
the group that performed Beethoven.

The quintet group of pianist Abigail Sin, violinists Christina Zhou
and Gabriel Lee, violist Wong Kin-Chung and
cellist Cho Hang-Oh have their moment with the Takács Quartet,