Musethica Spring Edition in Zeist
The recent Spring Concert of the Zeister Muziekdagen brought a vibrant close to the Musethiva week spring edition filled with music and social engagement. The festival welcomed the talented Quatuor Citadelle, joined and tutored by cellist Louis Rodde.
Quatuor Citadelle, a string quartet consisting of Raphaël Garac and Meiko Nakahira (violin), Paolo Schena (viola), and Pauline Boudon (violoncello), made their debut appearance at the festival. In the days leading up to the concert, the ensemble worked closely with Louis Rodde, who served as mentor during the concert week. Alongside his international career as a chamber musician, Rodde is also an esteemed teacher at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris.
A central component of the week from April 11th - 18th was the Musethica initiative, which once again demonstrated its impact by bringing live classical music to audiences beyond traditional concert halls. The participating musicians performed a series of concerts in schools for special education, healthcare institutions, and social institutions throughout Zeist and the surrounding area. For many attendees, these performances marked their first experience with live classical music.
These encounters proved to be deeply rewarding for both audiences and performers. The direct and often spontaneous responses from listeners encouraged the musicians to refine their listening, deepen their expressiveness, and foster genuine connections. At the same time, the performances created moments of joy, reflection, and emotional resonance within the communities they reached.
By combining high-level musical training with social engagement, the Musethica week once again underscored the Zeister Muziekdagen’s commitment to linking artistic development with societal impact. The final concert in the Grote Kerkzaal of the Evangelische Broedergemeente served not only as a musical highlight, but also as a celebration of a week defined by connection, growth, and shared experience.
The concert programme offered a varied repertoire, beginning with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suite No. 2 in D minor for solo cello, followed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s String Quartet No. 15 in D minor, and after the intermission, concluding the performance with Franz Schubert’s String Quintet in C major.
