Reviving Classical Music: The Animato Quartet’s Experience with the Merita Project

Stories | March 24, 2025

In the heart of the middle of Europe, where tradition and innovation usually meet, the Animato Quartet is breathing new life into classical music. Under the Merita Project, a project co-financed by the European Union, the quartet is reinventing how Beethoven's timeless string quartets are played, offering a new, close-up experience to audiences across the continent.

Merita Project aims to merge the beauty of chamber music with cultural heritage, offering a platform for concert organizers, mentors, and musicians. Combining both offline and online activities, it is attempting to restore the tradition of classical music performance. This goal is achieved by ensembles like the Animato Quartet, who attempt to bring classical music to new places and new people, breaking the barrier of classical concert halls.

The Formation of the Animato Quartet

The formation of the Animato Quartet began ten years ago when Pieter de Koe (cello) and Tim Brackman (second violin) of the Netherlands developed a connection in university. Their shared passion for music was apparent, and Elisa Karen Tavenier (viola) and Inga Våga Gaustad (violin) were eventually joined by them over the years to form a quartet that would soon become renowned for its blend of contrasting personalities and harmony of ensemble. The quartet's dynamic nature, highlighted by the contrasting musical backgrounds of its members and firm individual voices, is what informs their music and performance style.

Elisa and Inga, who were previously close friends before joining the quartet, share a close bond. With Pieter and Tim, who were also long-standing friends, members of the quartet not only share a common love for classical music but also a strong bonding that inspires their collaborative art. This friendship between the performers is vital to their success, as they are able to overcome the unavoidable differences that result from being so close to each other, and end up giving richer, more bold interpretations of the music that they perform.

Photo: Animato Kwartet, https://ledimoredelquartetto.eu/en/portfolio/animato-kwartet/

Merita Project: A New Way to Experience Classical Music

The Animato Quartet's participation in the Merita Project was driven by their interest in finding new means of engaging with listeners and reimagining the concert experience of classical music. Concert hall performances of string quartets are traditionally limited to formal settings and may strike listeners as distant and stodgy. The quartet, however, wishes to shatter this model, introducing their music into arenas where they can interact with their listeners firsthand.

For Animato Quartet, it is as simple as this: classical music, and therefore Beethoven's master string quartets, need not be performed in the traditional concert hall. They wish to bring the music to out-of-the-way places where the audience can have a more intimate and interesting experience. If it is an old building, if it is a city square, or if it is a small and eccentric venue, the quartet repeats their performance as per the provided venue so that every concert is a special event.

The Power of Place and Connection with the Audience

Playing for the quartet is not just playing music but connecting with the environment and the audience. Through consideration of the unique characteristics of every venue, the quartet modifies their repertoire and performance to match the atmosphere, with the hope of generating an experience that resonates at a profound level with the audience. The performers often choose pieces that are equal to the energy of the space, and the physical placement of the quartet and audience is also nonstructural, so it encourages a more personal, communicative experience.

Being able to perform Beethoven's string quartets in this manner allows the quartet the freedom to explore classical performance. Instead of hearing the music performed in a dignified setting where there is an evident division between the players and the listeners, the quartet welcomes the public in such a way that they are integrated into the performance itself. This fresh approach to classical music allows listeners not only to listen to technical skill of performers but also feel the raw emotion and improvisation that comes from performing in close, interactive conditions.

A New Experience for Fans of Classical Music

This new model of thinking is part of a broader mission that the quartet has to upend the nature of classical music. They're not just interpreting Beethoven's string quartets in their initial incarnation; they're taking them out of concert halls and placing them at the center of life. The performance of the quartet is not merely about the listener hearing nice music—it is about experiencing it in a unified, communal state that bridges gaps between musicians and listeners.

The reception of their concerts has been one of blanket praise. Audience members have spoken about how they can feel the energy and emotion of the performance in a way that they were never able to feel it in a traditional concert hall environment. The quartet's decision to adapt their performance to the space has also been praised, with each concert featuring a new and exciting interpretation of Beethoven's work.

Future Vision and Prospects of the Merita Project

In the future, the Animato Quartet looks to continue to expand their fan base, providing their creative and artistic performances to more European cities. They hope to perform all of Beethoven's string quartets, though with a twist - each one will be selected to complement the specific venue on which they will perform. The quartet wants each concert to be a new and changing experience for themselves as well as for their audience.

Their activity in the Merita Project also reflects their broader ambitions: to reframe the way classical music is programmed and heard. Rather than following a set-in-stone program well in advance, the quartet wants to maintain some flexibility in their performances, to be able to react to the mood and to the room of each space. In the process, they seek to create a fuller and more interesting experience for their audience, in that no two performances are ever the same.

Conclusion

The Merita Project, in collaborations like that of the Animato Quartet, is breathing new life into classical music. Through the reinterpretation of the concert experience and through its focus on bringing music and audience closer, the quartet is making classical music a more accessible, interactive, and enjoyable experience for all. For those who want to listen to Beethoven's string quartets like never before, the Animato Quartet offers an experience as personal as it is memorable.