The Terra String Quartet is a vibrant young international ensemble based in New York City, composed of graduates of The Juilliard School, The New England Conservatory, Harvard University, and the Curtis Institute of Music. In 2026 the quartet spent two weeks at Snape Maltings as part of the Britten Pears Arts Young Artist Programme (BPYAP).

Here, cellist Audrey Chen writes about their time at Britten Pears Arts and what the experience meant to them.

“To say that Britten Pears Arts was a special place would be a vast understatement. As a quartet that had recently undertaken a curatorial project centered on all three numbered Britten string quartets for the last two years, it felt essential to visit Benjamin Britten’s hometown, the place where he fostered a distinctive spirit of music-making and community. But after driving into the little compound where we were greeted by the peaceful horizon of marshland and the carefree chatter of antique seekers, we immediately sensed that this residency would be something more. As we stepped into the cool shade of the building housing the various studios and offices, tea and biscuits beckoned to us from the communal kitchen, a sturdy square table stood at the ready for our conversations, and BPYAP leaders Betsa and Matt guided us cheerfully into a room of our own.

For many musicians, the piano is our first instrument, and it is often one I turn to as respite from my own. In the Kiln studio that afternoon, even before we unpacked our cases and arranged our chairs, the piano was our first sound, droplets of dew idle in the warm light of the orange wood. With just a few notes, it was calm and suspenseful in one, hovering in the air and quivering in anticipation for the next. After rehearsing in small spaces back in New York City, it was a rare privilege to inhabit such an open, resonant environment in which to explore music together.

We brought a daunting spread of repertoire – Beethoven’s Op. 59 No. 1, Prokofiev Quartet No. 2, Britten’s third string quartet, Schubert’s “Rosamunde” Quartet, Francisco Coll’s “Codices” for string quartet, Haydn’s Op.33 No.5, among a few others. Some were pieces we were putting together for the first time; others were pieces we needed to polish before an upcoming performance. Two weeks in NYC to touch upon these would have felt like a mad dash. Two weeks here felt full of possibility and curiosity, the freedom to linger on ideas for just a bit longer.

The lunchtime concerts at Jubilee Hall, organized by Britten Pears Arts, were the best way to get newly shaped interpretations of music off the ground. We were thrilled to play for full audiences for both concerts, and we made a point of programming Britten’s third string quartet, aware of how meaningful it might be for listeners with personal connections to him as well as the significance for us to perform it in Britten’s hometown. We also played in two additional settings – for the residents of Warren Hill Men’s Prison, and for an innovative series in Lowestoft – the Battery of Ideas – where concerts took place in a repurposed Tesco supermarket. Each performance brought a different kind of listening and a way of connecting with new audiences.”

“Furthermore, a particular highlight for us was the multi-day coaching with an artist/mentor of our choice generously supported by the residency. We invited violist Miguel da Silva, whom we had met at the Bordeaux String Quartet competition last year, to work with us. Miguel’s strength of musical ideas, encouragement, and charm guided us through the Beethoven and Schubert, helping us to clarify the composers’ intentions, but also our own in how we listened and responded to one another. After our sessions, we enjoyed dinners together at The Lighthouse and Sea Spice in Aldeburgh, read Mozart viola quintets together in our last meeting, and began laying the groundwork for future collaborations.

And of course, we made the indispensable journey to The Red House, Britten and Peter Pears’s home. The anticipation of our long-awaited visit gave way to awe, gradually settling into a coziness and comfort when we met with the kind staff. In the archives, we lingered over Britten’s meticulously penciled manuscripts of his first and second string quartets, tracing his array of re-writes, cross-outs, and little draft sketches. We marveled at the visceral and brooding artwork that adorned the rooms, pausing only to gape at the gold-flecked cork wall of their sitting room, soaking in the ambience that would infuse our performance of Britten’s quartet a few days later.” 

“Beyond our musical work, Snape Maltings and Aldeburgh hosted many other delightful adventures. The Malt Cafe became our daily ritual, as we were always welcomed by a spread of alluring cakes, breads, and pastries. Harriet would reliably glance up at the parchment indicating the soup of the day, whether it be potato and leek, summer vegetable, or mushroom. I settled into a rhythm between a quiche with potato salad or a ham and cheese toastie. Amelia alternated between salads and toasties, while Chih-Ta scarfed down his crayfish sandwiches or sausage rolls and washed it down with a latte. We’d sit at the big table in the middle, surrounded by the many cafe patrons (and their dogs).

As a quartet, we joke that we make many ambitious plans when we travel, only to end up accomplishing a tiny fraction of them every time. “We should see if we can rehearse in the Snape Maltings concert hall,” Harriet would say. “Let’s see a movie one night at the Aldeburgh cinema,” Amelia chimed. “Antique storeee,” Chih-Ta sang as we walked by. Whether it was the clear separation of working and resting space that we had access to, or the easy walk over to a lunch that recharged us, somehow, we found ourselves able to do many things we had hoped.

In Aldeburgh, we went straight for fish and chips on our first evening, and again after our first concert at Jubilee Hall. We went on a quartet walk along the coast, watching our playful shadows grow as dusk fell. We watched the Oscar-winning movie One Battle After Another in the Aldeburgh cinema. We browsed the bakeries and bookstores, the clothing and perfume shops, and Chih-Ta surprised the three of us girls with a gift: three antique books on Benjamin Britten’s life. At night, we played Mahjong (the perfect four-person game!), sustained by bowls of grapes, chips, and chocolates.

In Snape Maltings, we hiked the path to Iken church and back, tapped out a fugue on the harpsichords in the Early Music shop, and lingered outdoors to take in the sculptures set against the golden reeds. I found a colorful monoprint by a local Suffolk artist in the antique store to bring home, and Amelia amassed a treasure of candle holders from the home and furniture store. Harriet managed to get us an afternoon in the Snape Maltings concert hall for a rehearsal, after striking up a conversation with Lena, a wonderfully kind and knowledgeable box office worker. On the last day, Harriet and Amelia made the pilgrimage from Aldeburgh to Snape Maltings on foot, a fitting way to take in the landscape one last time.”

“As a whole, our residency at Britten Pears Arts offered us an extraordinary environment of rejuvenation, historical depth, and natural beauty. It deepened our connection to Benjamin Britten’s legacy and to the local community who continue to believe in the enduring power of creating and sustaining art. The quiet reverence for what had unfolded in these marshy fields, woven together with our own daily delights – our shared meals, laughter, and conversation – leaves us feeling as if we had given a small piece of our earnest endeavors to this place, and in return, carried away an inspiration that will sustain us for many years to come.”

Audrey Chen, cellist of the Terra String Quartet

L-R Audrey Chen, Amelia Dietrich, Harriet Langley, Chih-Ta Chen

Find out more about the Britten Pears Young Artist Programme.