Peter Nickol String trio for violin, viola and cello duration: 12 minutes String trio A string trio seems to me an intimate and potentially intense group of instruments. This particular piece brings to fruition a long-standing wish to write for this combination. The extended introductory movement develops from slow to fast, eventually fragmenting to lead into a concentrated middle movement and slow final movement, the whole lasting around 12 minutes. Peter Nickol was educated at York University, and much more recently he has studied composition at Exeter and now at Manchester University. In between he has had a career as a book editor, specialising when possible in music education materials. Back to shortlist.