antarja

The Antarja Quartet has been selected to participate in the European MERITA program, joining the ranks of outstanding young string quartets from across Europe. MERITA is a platform for musicians, mentors, historical houses, and concert organizers, working both online and offline, to re-invigorate the tradition of classical music performance in Europe. MERITA works to increase the visibility and circulation of emerging European string quartets while promoting cultural heritage sites across Europe. Together, the MERITA platform members create opportunities to redefine performance, reach wider audiences, and foster an artistic connection between tradition and innovation.

As part of this program, we will perform concerts in various locations across Europe with our original program designed for people with disabilities, which we have named “Painted by Music.” The music we perform evokes a range of different emotions, and during the concert, the audience is invited to reflect on their experiences through painting. This way, participants are not just passive listeners but are engaged in the creative process and become co-creators. In the final part of the concert, the drawings created by the audience serve as inspiration for us to create a musical improvisation based on them.

We wanted to create a project that would give people with disabilities the opportunity to participate in an engaging concert with a specially curated program. Participants can become fully involved during the concert and immediately express the emotions that classical music evokes in them. This format makes the concert much more accessible for them. We aim to make classical music, specifically chamber music in this case, more tailored to specific audiences and their needs.