Shattering Frontiers: The Adam Quartet’s Courageous Experiment with Poetry and Music in AthensAdam Quartet
Stories | May 13, 2025
In a world where tradition and innovation often stand apart, the Adam Quartet from Amsterdam is redefining the concert experience by blending classical repertoire with spoken word to create emotionally charged, deeply human performances. Part of the Merita Project, funded in part by the European Union, the group recently traveled to Athens to take part in an artistic residency that pushed their creative boundaries and those of their listeners.
The Merita Project is more than a performance platform. Its mission is to revive the chamber music heritage of Europe by connecting new talent with rich cultural heritage across the continent. For the Adam Quartet, this meant stepping outside the familiar concert format and into new artistic terrain.
Source: Adam Quartet, Merita
From Amsterdam to Athens: A Quartet’s Journey
The Adam Quartet, which consists of Minna (viola), Renée (cello), Margot (violin), and Natasha (violin), first met at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. Founding members Renée and Margot began their journey by simply wanting to perform a string quartet for a final exam. The group has since grown as new members joined, and their position as an innovative, open-minded ensemble was cemented.
Their work-in-progress, produced during the Merita residency, is focused on the theme of language, music, and human vulnerability. The program features “What is the Word” by Barry Guy, a piece that is based on Samuel Beckett’s poem for his friend. The quartet performs alongside Haydn’s Seven Last Words, a work that reflects Christ’s final words on the cross. Together, the pieces explore the emotional weight of words—and beyond them.
Blending Music and Spoken Word
What makes this concert unique is that they are going to recite the poems themselves, and not as narration, but as being part of the musical performance. The quartet states that this act lends their performance an additional emotional depth. “We’re used to tuning chords,” they explain, “but not to tapping into our inner fears to deliver a poem.”
This delicate form of expression, guided by artists like a violinist and an opera singer named Katja, has yielded profound discoveries both musical and personal. The residency allowed space for experimentation, even including original poetry written by a member of the quartet. The goal? To break the fourth wall, blur the line between audience and performer, and create a lasting emotional response.
Daring to Challenge the Audience
In their own words, the Adam Quartet doesn’t request polite applause. “I like my audience to either love it or hate it,” said one member. Indifference is the only failure for them. This fearless attitude challenges both listeners and performers to step out of their comfort zones and into something more real, something unforgettable.
Looking to the Future
The quartet hopes to take this innovative concert format beyond Athens, performing across Europe in halls both large and small. They hope to expand the string quartet repertoire with fresh commissions and initiatives that reflect the complexity of the world today. “We want to show that classical music can be flexible, close, and profoundly relevant.”
A City of Contrasts
Performing among the ancient ruins of Athens provided a symbolic backdrop to the concert where centuries-old stone met modern expression. As the quartet notes, “We made the connection between very old and very new all at the same place.”
Gratitude and Vision
The Adam Quartet’s experience in Athens would not have been possible without the help of the Merita Project and the European Union. They truly appreciate their help, as they do their commitment to redefining the future of chamber music.
More about Merita Project series and tales–soon–music, heritage, and imagination unleashed.
Source: Adam Quartet, Merita