With the aim of promoting chamber music in Venezuela, the National System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Venezuela (Fesnojiv) and The Chilingirian Quartet have made an agreement that bore its first fruits at the beginning of 2010.

Since 2008, The Chilingirian Quartet has been doing educational exchanges with El Sistema, namely the Millennium Quartet -- made up of members of the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela – and in 2009 Maestro Abreu came up with the idea of inviting The Chilingirian Quartet to conduct a chamber music master class.

The Chilingirian Quartet, composed of Levon Chilingirian (violin), Philip De Groote (cello), Ronald Birks (violin) and Susie Mészáros (viola), is one of the world’s most celebrated ensembles, renowned for its thrilling interpretations of the great quartets – and commanding performances of the contemporary repertoire – over the course of nearly four decades. The Quartet maintains a keen balance between its performance and teaching activities. The Chilingirian has been instrumental in the formation of some of the world’s most sought-after ensembles and last year it was asked to further the chamber music education of El Sistema's ensembles.

The members of the Quartet believe that teaching is a natural responsibility and they have to teach what they know to the new generation of musicians. The ensemble was influenced by great musicians from Central Europe and its members feel they have to transmit what they learnt. That is the reason why they are in Venezuela.

Ten ensembles of El Sistema attended the master classes given in the city of Cumaná by the Chilingirian Quartet, which is in charge of creating a new Chamber Music Academy in Venezuela.

Though chamber music is not deeply rooted in our culture, the Quartet considers that El Sistema's musicians displayed their skills and talents during the master classes.

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Review: The Chilingirian Quartet conducted a master class in Venezuela.

During an interview in Venezuela they said that working with people that love what they do and their country was absolutely amazing. They also expressed their admiration for the professors who have the responsibility of training these Venezuelan musicians. The Quartet said the ensembles that attended its master classes in Cumaná were on a par with the world's finest ensembles.

The English quartet added that these Venezuelan musicians have been taught under rigorous academic standards but they still have a lot to learn about the responsibility of finding music direction in a quartet.

The Chilingirian talked about the Venezuelans' eagerness to learn, how they support each other, and their ability to focus for long periods of time.

The master classes ended with concerts by the participants who now have the responsibility of teaching what they learnt to the emerging chamber music ensembles. Many of these young musicians were invited to attend summer courses at the internationally-renowned West Dean College and the Royal College of Music, as well as taking part in the Lake District Summer Music Festival in England.

The Chilingirian Quartet said goodbye to Venezuela with a concert at the Center for Social Action through Music held on January 15. That evening, the Quartet performed a very well chosen repertoire from the Central-European tradition: Mozart’s Quartet for Strings N° 15 in D minor K421 (417b), Bartok’s String Quartet N° 6, and Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 13 in B flat major, Op.130.

The Chilingirian Quartet will pay us periodic visits to continue with the creation of a Chamber Music Academy in Venezuela.

For further information on The Chilingirian Quartet please visit http://www.chilingirianquartet.co.uk/index.htm