Musical and pedagogical aspecst of string quartet playing

The thesis is motivated by the author's simultaneous two-fold experience as an active member of an internationally renowned string quartet and as a university teacher in the field of chamber music. These activities led her to realise how the education and pedagogical guidance for young, future performing artists in this field can be incomplete and unsystematic. The thesis strives for a holistic picture of teachers' activities, from the selection of those interested in the genre to the formation of a coherent musical ensemble, with the ambitions of lasting success at an international level. The dissertation consists of four basic parts: the first is devoted to a historical insight into the development of string quartet playing as an inspiration for understanding its place in the broad stream of classical music. The second is entirely devoted to the significance of the personalities who make up the string quartet, from the perspective of psychology and, partly, sociology. It deals with the process of selecting quartet members based on current knowledge of personality profiling and its functioning in such a specific working team. It focuses on the efforts to establish an ensemble with the prerequisites for growth and a relatively long existence, based on self- management. Having said this, the focus...