Variations Scotland is happy to announce its first String Quartet Challenge, open to amateur musicians aged between 18 and 40 based in Scotland.

Variations has been running a week- long chamber music course with the Edinburgh Quartet in residence in Ullapool each July over the past 20 years. The winners of the String Quartet Challenge will be awarded a place at Variations 2027, with all tuition and accommodation costs covered, worth over £1000 for each individual. Challenge runners up will be offered free one day workshops with the Edinburgh Quartet.

The overall purpose of the Challenge is to motivate more younger amateur string players to come together and play on a regular basis. The Challenge is not open to professional musicians or music conservatory students – it is for amateurs. However, conservatory alumni who do not consider themselves professionals can apply.

The Challenge invites interested groups to submit recordings made on a smartphone of two pieces: any movement of a Haydn string quartet and any other contrasting movement from a quartet from the romantic era or later. The four finalists will play a quartet of their own choice at a public concert in Perth on 27th February 2027, when the winner will be selected.

The recordings – audio or video, though it is sound rather than pictures that matter – should be sent to Gordon Adam, Chair, Variations Scotland, along with a brief biography of each quartet member, and the name and details of their quartet. Newly formed groups are encouraged to participate.

Entries close on 31st December 2026.

Please submit your recordings and biographies alongside the application form which you can download below.

The recordings along with supporting information will be sent to members of the Edinburgh Quartet who will be responsible for short-listing the four quartet finalists. Fair Access principles will be adhered to in the selection process so that applicants’ backgrounds will be taken into consideration. Potential as well as actual performing ability will be assessed. The Edinburgh Quartet will provide written feedback to each participating group. The four finalist groups will be contacted by Zoom by a member of the Edinburgh Quartet to provide brief feedback in advance of the finalists’ concert.

The Finalists’ public concert will take place on the afternoon of 27th February 2027 at St John’s Kirk in Perth in association with the Perth Chamber Music Society, after which there will be a feedback session with all finalist groups in the early evening. This session will be in the form of a master class and open to members of the public.

There will be two additional one-day workshops provided for the runners up and other promising participants. These will take place at the Marryat Hall in Dundee on Sundays the 7th and the 21st March 2027. Reasonable travel, subsistence and tuition costs will be covered by Variations Scotland. Participants should keep these dates free. Again, these sessions will be open to the public.

The overall winning string quartet will be invited to Variations in July 2027. They will work on a string quartet of their choice for a week and will be invited to perform at the participant’s concert at the end of the course. Accommodation will be provided and tuition costs will be covered for the quartet members.

We hope this Challenge will encourage interested musicians to get together and start work. Please spread the word. If there are any questions, please contact:

Gordon Adam
Chair, Variations Scotland

gordon@imediaassociates.org

info@variationsscotland.co.uk

 Key dates:

  • The deadline for String Quartet Challenge submissions is December 31st 2026.

  • The Finalists concert will take place on the afternoon of 27th February 2027 at St John’s Kirk in Perth

  • Two additional one-day workshops provided for the runners up will take place at the Marryat Hall in Dundee on Sundays 7th and 21st March 2027

  • Variations 2027 – July 24th -30th 2027 in Ullapool

Variations Scotland String Quartet Challenge 2026 – 2027 Application Form

Download the Application Form

Variations Scotland is grateful to the encouragement and financial support of the National Lottery through Creative Scotland; also the Pear Tree Fund for Music, the Hugh Fraser Foundation and the Gordon Memorial Trust, without which this initiative would not be possible.