The Merita platform
Winner of the Creative Europe – European Platforms 2021 competition, 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. It is co-financed by the European Union.
The goal of the project is 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.
Through its concert series, MERITA presents classical music as a meeting point for tradition and transformation. The quartets will each create an original and unique project, and perform these innovative concerts in a variety of cultural venues, including historical houses and 9 cultural sites in Europa Nostra’s 7 Most Endangered programme. Situating these concerts in heritage sites creates a dialogue between Europe’s past and present, and points the way to a vital future for Europe’s cultural heritage. MERITA’s emerging string quartets, made up of members between 18 and 35 years old, explore new ideas for classical music performance, invite new audiences, and shape the future of chamber music. Working with mentors and experienced performers, these young musicians will learn new skills and explore important ideas in modern performance. Through artistic residencies in historical houses, they will expand and internationalize their careers.