Abstract
My research and my dissertation are aimed towards string quartet pedagogy and the establishment of the criteria of string quartet players. Even though I am only in my first year of research, key features of the project are mostly established.
In the first part of my research I am focusing on establishing criteria of instrumentally technical nature and of psycho-social background. In the second part of my research I then focus on comparison between the educational systems in the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom where I will be tracing whether the pedagogues working with string quartet players develop established criteria mentioned above and whether the string quartet players of the highest potential have the necessary care needed in order to become world class string quartet(s).
String Quartet pedagogy is a very complex problem and the pedagogue is dealing with four personalities at once, having the same amount of responsibility as during one to one lessons. My research is supporting the clarification of what do string quartet pedagogues need to deliver in order to be successful and what kind of teaching methods should be avoided, even when the given teacher had a successful string quartet career themselves.