The Erinys Quartet: An Odyssey of Storytelling in Music

Stories | April 2, 2025

The Merita Project, as an innovative project bringing together chamber music, cultural heritage, and excellence, is a top platform for musicians, mentors, historical houses, and concert organizers. The project is committed to making a new life in classical music performance across Europe thanks to European Union funding. On this podcast, we meet the Erinys Quartet, an energetic string quartet whose music and narrative transcend borders and culture.

The Erinys Quartet, consisting of Elizabeth Stewart (violinist, U.S.), Joosep Reimaa (violinist, Estonia), Marija Räisänen (violist, Finnish-Lithuanian), and Stergios Theodoridis (cellist, Greek), is a melting pot of cultures that is typical and welcome. They initially met at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki in 2018 and formed the quartet that would later expand with the inclusion of Josef in 2022. They are now in Philadelphia, training at the high-profile Curtis Institute of Music. Their multinational backgrounds and worldwide training bring a new approach to traditional music, mixing European and American styles.

The Merita Project is the result of the quartet’s aspiration to become a performing string quartet and to explore the non-musical organizational aspect of being a professional quartet career. The Merita stage offers them an opportunity to spread their voices across Europe and examine the most critical issue of intercultural dialogue—their everyday live experience by practicing and performing together.

A Rich Brocade of Varied Repertoire

The musical experience of the quartet draws heavily from the rich diversity of music traditions and cultures that they belong to. In Finland, they were familiarized with Kaija Saariaho’s work, a Finnish composer whose works are rich in atmospheric qualities. In the U.S., they encountered Raven Chacon, an American Native composer whose works rejected traditional boundaries. They possess the great masterpieces of the classical period like Haydn’s and Janácek’s, but it is the blend of all these that makes the quartet sound unique.

One of the most moving works that they play is Raven Chacon’s The Journey of the Horizontal People. The piece tells a group’s journey towards enlightenment only to realize that the knowledge that they were looking for was actually inside them all along. Such narrative through music is a feature of the quartet’s repertoire, combining emotion, storytelling, and cultural symbolism.

Janáček’s Intimate Letters, a work of music that is heavy with lustful desire, obsession, and longing, is yet another cornerstone of their repertoire. The ability of the piece to translate these emotions into sound is what the quartet wants to infuse their performances with, bringing people together in a bodily and intimate sense.

The Power of Intercultural Dialogue

One of the most fundamental aspects of the quartet’s residency in the Merita Project is intercultural dialogue, which they encounter each day as they perform within differing musical traditions and perspectives. Collaboration with professors of the University of Arts of Tirana has been an energizing experience that introduced a different approach to the way they conceptualize their interpretation and hone the nuances of their performance.

The residency was also an opportunity for the quartet to get to know each other socially, eating together and sharing stories with their hosts and fellow musicians. What is served at the dinner table is now part of the intercultural exchange that lies at the heart of their music.

A Concert of Storytelling and Diversity

Their residency concluded with a concert that combined contemporary music with classic repertoire, illustrating the breadth of emotion and sound that characterizes their unique blend of musical influences. From the classical refinement of Haydn to the abstract, nature-inspired sounds of Ravel’s Chaconne, and the brooding intensity of Janáček, the quartet’s performance is not just a concert – it’s a musical odyssey, inviting the audience to immerse themselves in various stories and perspectives.

The quartet’s performance is greater than one would normally find at concert performances. They desire to present a program that breaks the mold by including music from the world over, providing an array of sounds and stories that are not normally found in traditional series of concerts. They desire that the listeners will be drawn to the music and perhaps find a personal affinity for the stories being presented.

Looking Ahead: Expanding Their Audience

The quartet’s journey has only begun, and they are excited to embark on performing across Europe, expanding their repertoire, and building their programs. They are particularly anticipating being able to share their work with new audiences through the partners of the Merita Project and are grateful for the opportunity to present their work in such a collaborative environment.

The Erinys Quartet’s story is one of cross-cultural fusion, musical innovation, and storytelling by sound. Their work on the Merita Project is not only a concert but a testament to the power of music to bridge cultures and bring people together. As they look to the future, they hope to inspire audiences across Europe and the globe with a unique and provocative musical experience.