Europa Nostra participates in the final event of the MUSA project in Brussels

The final event of the European project MUSA – European young MUsicians soft Skills Alliance, of which Europa Nostra is an associated partner, took place on 12 October at the Gare Maritime in Brussels. In her address, the Secretary General of Europa Nostra underlined the role of civil society organisations as a driver and promoter of a change that can inspire a positive transformation of the European cultural sector. Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović praised the impact of MUSA beyond the chamber music sector.

 

“We are particularly impressed by how MUSA is building bridges between music, the art of quartet playing and historical places, places that tell the story of us, the Europeans,” stated the Secretary General of Europa Nostra. “The spirit of our organisation is to promote Europe through the power of culture […] and Europe today really needs projects like MUSA,” emphasised Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović.

 

The event started with representatives from ASK – Research Centre of Bocconi University presenting to the public the scope and the results achieved by the project throughout two years. The participants then discussed current challenges and opportunities in the field of chamber music, professional training and, more broadly, cultural heritage.

The panel entitled “Career and Multidisciplinarity, between music and territory”, moderated by Francesca Moncada Paternò, President and Founder of Le Dimore del Quartetto and Council member of Europa Nostra, had the participation of international guests.

Paola Dubini, from ASK – Research Centre of Bocconi University, introduced the topic of discussion, highlighting how far careers in the music field can go when there is a surrounding and supporting ecosystem.

The discussion delved into two main topics: “From Education to Market, The educational and career path of young string quartets” and “Multidisciplinarity, The potential of chamber music crossing other artistic and cultural fields”.

Among the speakers were Fiona Robertson and Pau Marquès i Oleo, Violinist and Cellist of Belinfante Quartet, who took part in the project; Yasmin Hilberdink, Founder and Artistic Director at String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam; Igor Efrem Zanti, Global Head of Arts & Restoration Department of IED; Paul Dujardin, Chief Project Director at Royal Museums of Art and History; Alfonso Pallavicini, President of European Historic Houses; and Xavier Pelgrims de Bigard, Owner of Grand Bigard Castle in Belgium. Each of them made a speech from a starting question reflecting on the developments of chamber music and on the value of cross-fertilisation among chamber music and other cultural fields.

 

As music was the unquestionable protagonist of the day, the event was closed by a concert at the Grand Bigard Castle where the Belinfante quartet performed musical pieces from renowned composers. 

About the project

MUSA – European young MUsicians soft Skills Alliance is a European vocational training project for young string quartets funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. It aims to provide them with entrepreneurial knowledge, skills and competences that are usually missing in their curriculum although fundamental for their professional career. Started in October 2020, 11 string quartets were involved in MUSA getting the opportunity to be hosted in residency in historic houses and in other culturally relevant places.

MUSA is addressed to young professional string quartets specialised in the classical chamber music repertoire and composed by musicians between 20 and 35 years old who regularly work together.

Europa Nostra was one of the Associated Partners of the project coordinated by Le Dimore del Quartetto, Member Organisation of Europa Nostra. The other strategic partners were: IED – Istituto Europeo di Design and ASK – Centre for Research on Management and Economics of Arts and Culture Institutions in Milan (Italy), ProQuartet – Centre européen de musique de chambre from Paris and La Ferme de Villefavard en Limousin di Villefavard (France), and experimentadesign from Lisbon (Portugal).