By Keith Bruce

“Nicola Benedetti has now overseen 17 of these gatherings across the UK since 2020, seven of them in Scotland, and the project develops with each incarnation…”

Teaching often forms a major part of a string player’s career, but how and where do they develop the skills required? Peter Somerford hears from pedagogues, course leaders and graduates about the options

Now in its fifth year, the programme runs from February to December and helps young musicians build the skills needed to lead workshops, teach others, and continue their own creative development.

Participants receive mentoring from experienced tutors, take part in a series of online training and career talks, and gain hands-on experience by shadowing and supporting Foundation-led music sessions across the country.

Pupils and young string instrumentalists from 50 City of Edinburgh Council schools have taken part in the prestigious Benedetti Foundation Residency which took place from May 12 to 15.

The week started with the Benedetti Foundation delivering concert performances at nine primary schools in Edinburgh to approximately 1200 learners across the city, before the city’s young string players, from P5 to P7, came together for a ‘play day’ in collaboration with the City of Edinburgh Council Instrumental Music Service.

Applications are now open for the London edition of the 2025 Benedetti Sessions, which will take place from July 12 to 13, 2025.

Aimed at school-age string players, string teachers, and primary classes, the Benedetti Sessions are run by the Benedetti Foundation and take place several times a year across the UK. The Foundation describes the workshops as "high-energy and high-inspiration," affording participants the opportunity to meet and work with some of the greatest music educators in the UK.

Scotland's Benedetti Foundation has announced that for the first time in its five-year history, it will appoint a Chief Executive Officer. The Scottish cultural leader Paul Fitzpatrick has been given the position and will begin his tenure on May 12, 2025.

This Fall, the Foundation is hosting its “Mini Sessions” program, a series of short, focused online workshops designed to provide detailed exploration on topics including musical technique, physicality, well-being, and personal and professional development. 

With all sessions delivered on Zoom by the Foundation’s team of expert tutors and ambassadors, the sessions in this year’s program will include, among other topics:

We can all remember back to February and March 2020 – a time of uncertainty where the news about Covid-19 was changing hourly before the world shut down, transforming not only the way we lived and communicated, but how we made music. Who can forget the video performances comprising countless rectangles of musicians, cobbled together with tracks recorded from all around the world?

The programme will offer the opportunity for participants to explore different careers in the arts and see what it’s like to work in the music industry from various angles, the chance to learn to teach and develop a personal teaching style, as well as foster creativity in performance expression.

Starting the Adult Learners online sessions has made a real difference to my playing. It has given me confidence and, at the time during Covid, provided a real sense of community. I really felt that I knew the tutors, as we were able to ask questions and get plenty of feedback. It was an easy decision when I saw that we were going to be able to have ‘in-person’ sessions. 

The Foundation’s first ever in-person sessions for adult string players will take place at Studio 1, City Halls, Glasgow, on May 28, 2023, from 11 AM to 4 PM. Throughout the one-day session, participants will be led by tutors of the Foundation including conductor and violinist Alex Laing, violinist Andrea Gajic, and cellist Su-a Lee.

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

EA Music Service Southern Region was delighted to continue our partnership work with The Benedetti Foundation in March 2023 as part of the first Benedetti Foundation Residency for EA schools and Music Service Regions.

The Benedetti Foundation has announced the launch of the Baroque Virtual Sessions, which will provide a week of online tuition on Baroque music-making.

From Monday 26 September, sessions will be hosted on social media, Zoom and YouTube, with live online sessions on 1 and 2 October.

The Benedetti Foundation has launched the Virtual Benedetti Sessions, which will provide three weeks of free, regular online music tuition for young musicians, university-level students, teachers, adult learners and amateur musicians.

To advocate the role of music in schools and communities through workshops, and to provide support, information and inspiration to teachers. We won’t be looking to reinvent the wheel. I’ve been working alongside teachers and holding workshops for over 10 years and we will aim to address every level of instrumental music making, from beginners to conservatoire level. So much phenomenal teaching and music making is going on. The best gift I can give to anyone is to expose the best of what’s going on to those who don’t know where to find it.