Joining a Quartet
Written by Alec Smith - Cellist.
Being in a String Quartet is a very unique experience, for me it has always been one of the most rewarding aspects of my musical career. My first experience playing in string quartets was on Suzuki music courses when I was growing up - sometimes it feels like it has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. When I started at the RNCM it was the one thing I knew that I wanted to devote my time towards.
The relationship between the four members of a quartet is such an incredible thing to experience - it truly does feel like a second family. Of course, as I am sure anyone reading this will understand, families rarely get on all the time. Sometimes (perhaps more than we like to admit), we argue, and other times we seem to be on the same wavelength in such a way that we don’t even finish explaining our thoughts in rehearsals. Merely a glance, or a raised eyebrow, is enough to communicate our intentions. This bond does not develop overnight, and being a new member of a quartet where three of those members have developed this connection over years brings its own challenges.
For those reading who don’t already know, I joined the Aestus Quartet around August 2025, a position that I was (and still am) extremely excited to fill. Prior to joining the quartet, I did not know Leda or Chris at all - our years at RNCM never crossed over, but I have known Beth for a long time. In fact, I know her from the Suzuki courses that first introduced me to string quartets, and we then went on to play together in a quartet during our undergraduate years at the RNCM. This makes joining this quartet an amazing mix of reuniting with an old friend, and embarking on a new journey with musicians I have never worked with before. We naturally spend so much time together as a quartet, both in and out of rehearsals, that it seems to bond us in a way that I have never experienced before. All three of them have been so welcoming and have made me feel truly at home in the quartet which I am incredibly thankful for, and I cannot wait to continue creating amazing music with such talented musicians.
A picture from our residency in Lavethan, Cornwall, Dec 2025