Amandine Beyer, violin
Naaman Sluchin, violin
Josèphe Cottet, viola
Frédéric Baldassare, cello
No ‘oracle’ would have predicted the coming together of these four musicians with such varied and contrasting profiles. And yet, after a first meeting, Amandine Beyer, Naaman Sluchin, Josèphe Cottet and Frédéric Baldassare created the Kitgut Quartet in 2015, on period instruments and gut strings.
Drawing on their experience as chamber musicians and soloists with Europe’s leading ensembles, they share a desire to bring the great works of the repertoire to life under their bows, as well as curiosities and forgotten pieces, in a tradition marked by freedom, enthusiasm and sharing.
The Kitgut Quartet’s programmes examine the origins of the string quartet and explore the various attempts in Europe, before the classical period, to write for four voices. In different chapters, focusing on Schubert and Germany, Mozart and Italy, Beethoven and France and Haydn and England, the Kitgut Quartet offer another perspective on the birth of the quartet, with the desire to bring to the stage what accompanies them in rehearsals: dialogue, fun and spontaneity.
Since its creation, the quartet has performed in a number of European venues and festivals, including the Théâtre de la Ville/Théâtre des Abesses in Paris, AMUZ in Antwerp, the Abbaye de Royaumont and the Opéra de Dijon with choreographer and dancer Boris Charmatz. It will also be appearing at the Amsterdam String Quartet Biennial in 2024.
In 2020, the Kitgut Quartet released its first CD on Harmonia Mundi, ‘Tis too late to be wise’, devoted to Haydn and England (Purcell, Locke). The performance was hailed by critics in France and abroad. In particular, he was awarded a Diapason Découverte.
