Please join us on Sunday, 27th April 2025 at the Benslow Music Instrument Loan Scheme Open Day, focused on insights into how string players can best choose and care for their instruments.
Open Day at the Benslow Music campus 11.00am to 4.00pm
Activities and talks are free but please book your place via this form.
Meet the experts at work
Kai Thomas-Roth, violin maker, and Tim Baker, bow maker, from the British Violin Making Association will be running live demonstrations of their work
Marco Matathia, the Instrument Loan Scheme's in-house luthier, will be busy in our workshop to share some of our collection with visitors and explain more about his role in looking after them
Expert repairer and restorer Julian Pindar will be available to offer advice on general care and maintenance of your own violin / viola / cello / bass and any specific issues you might be having, as well as make assessments of older instruments in need of some attention.
Hear music
Throughout the day, some of our young borrowers will be found showcasing their talents around the Benslow Music campus. Please support them as they hone their performance skills in varied repertoire ranging from solo to small ensemble.
Enjoy Benslow’s beautiful site
Explore the campus, take in our beautiful garden and grounds in spring, or enjoy a hot drink or light lunch from our café.
Enjoy talks from the experts
11.30 to 12.15 Barbara Meyer (master violinmaker and Curator of Instruments at the Royal Academy of Music) will offer an overview of the development of classical stringed instruments, traditions of violin making and features of instruments used in different styles of playing, before outlining the factors performers at all levels should consider when choosing and looking after their instruments
12.30 to 1.15 Joely Koos (cellist, educator, and governor of the Benslow Music Instrument Loan Scheme) will share her experiences of selecting and playing cellos gained through her successful career as a solo, chamber, and orchestral musician. She will joined by Barbara Meyer to give some insights into their search for new instruments to add to the Scheme's collection and, via demonstrations on a range of cellos and some creative use of food-based metaphors, reflect on what "right" means for any string player when choosing a new instrument
2.45 to 3.30 Head of the Instrument Loan Scheme, Nick Evans-Pughe, will be joined by guests to discuss common misconceptions about stringed instruments and their building and restoration, before taking questions from the audience on topics covered across the Open Day.
Celebratory concert at Hitchin Town Hall 4.30 to 5.30
To round off the day, we will move to Hitchin Town Hall for a special concert featuring gifted musicians who have borrowed instruments from the Scheme.
An ensemble of our older borrowers will be coming together under the direction of acclaimed conductor Peter Stark to perform a programme of works for string orchestra to include:
Dag Wirén: Serenade
Edward Elgar: Serenade for Strings in E minor Op 20
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Divertimento in D Major, K136 "Salzburg"
All ticket revenues will go towards supporting our work in making sure talented, young musicians are able to borrow good quality violins, violas, cellos, bows and wind instruments.
Tickets are £10 each and can be purchased here.
Who is the Open Day for?
We would particularly welcome current lenders and borrowers of instruments, as well as friends and supporters of the Scheme to join us for this fun and informative day celebrating everything we do to support young string players.
The event will also be of interest to students, teachers and music educators who aren't already connected to the Scheme and local people who would like to know more about the work of Benslow Music and our beautiful campus.