Since October 2012 Walter Stauffer Academy in Cremona has launched second year Specialization Course for String Quartet, held by Quartetto di Cremona, in residence at Fondazione Teatro Ponchielli, which hosts all the lessons from October to June.
Again a high number of enrolments for this second academic year: nine groups overall, divided in seven string quartets, one piano quartet and one string trio.
So many applications are the proof that young musicians are still eager to undertake the study of the wide chamber music repertoire, although the huge crisis in this sector as well as in Italian musical culture.
The nine groups, created long before the enrolment, express the strong wish to maintain the Italian chamber music tradition still alive, seriously and professionally dealing with a life "as a Quartet".
Four of the quartets enrolled in 2012-2013 had already attended the specialization course during academic year 2011-2012, meeting with unanimous success both at Teatro Ponchielli in occasion of the concert "Omaggio a Cremona" (May 2012) and in many Italian concert societies.
Among the most important achievements, Quartetto Noûs is really worth mentioning. In a few months this young string quartet has already gained a great success debuting in the season "I Concerti del Quirinale" (Quirinale's Concerts) in Rome (concert live broadcasted on national Rai-Radio 3) and invited by Amici della Musica (Friends of Music) in Palermo. Moreover, Quartetto Noûs, the only Italian chamber group among seventy-four from all over the world, has been recently selected by Monteleón Chamber Music Festival in León (Spain) to perform in various concerts during December.
In the upcoming months many of the quartets enrolled at Stauffer Academy will be involved in concerts in several Italian concert halls. Thus demonstrating that in our country there is still place for institutions wishing to help young chamber groups in learning by direct experience on stage which is one of the most important part of musical training.
In just two years Stauffer Academy has been confirmed as an outstanding educational institution also for string quartet, offering high level courses completely charge-free.
Upon request and for a limited number of people, listeners are admitted at Quartetto di Cremona's lessons at Teatro Ponchielli.