How to Mix Pop Music with Classical Music — Muse Quartet Interview

Like their name suggests, Muse Quartet is a string quartet somewhat different from other music projects. The four girls, Alina Horez — first violin, Nicoleta Petre — second violin, Maria Colțatu — viola and Corina Ciuplea — cello, collaborate with many Romanian hip-hop, pop, electro and indie artists, including Deliric, Golan, Smiley, byron and Silent Strike. We talked to Maria Colțatu to find out how they manage to combine pop and classical music:

How did the Muse Quartet project come to be and why is it called like that?

A lucky event brought us all together seven years ago. We had the same ambitions in terms of music, and we had a similar attitude towards the stage and our profession. We picked ‘muses’ because we wanted to be an inspiration — through what we do, through the music we make — to everyone who listens to us and feels like us. The name is linked to the symbolism of the number four. We wanted to be recognized as a female quartet, we thought of the four seasons, the four caryatids or the four muses. Muse was the most striking and musical name, and, additionally, it was the name of a band we all enjoyed very much at the time.

Who was the first artist you collaborated with?

The first artist who put her trust in us was Alexandrina Hristov. Her music was the ideal context for us to realize that this was the niche we wanted to explore. It was then that we began to discover and learn how to combine what we were usually doing back then with the new style of music. How we were supposed to adapt to it. It was a challenge at first, but it soon became normality. We realized pretty quickly what we had to do, which helped us with the next collaborations. 

What was your most difficult collaboration or your biggest challenge?

The most difficult collaboration was the one in which there was no chemistry between us and the band we were supposed to perform with. The event had already been agreed upon and we did everything for the sake of art, we behaved professionally, and we managed to convey only the beauty of music.

What was your most memorable concert with another artist?

We will never forget our first Electric Castle appearance. We performed with Deliric, Vlad Dobrescu and DOC. It was pouring down with rain, we were trying to enjoy the show whilst protecting our instruments from the huge water drops. We couldn’t believe the hype and feedback we were getting from the audience. It was amazing! The most memorable moments are from festivals, because they are packed with a special kind of energy and good vibes. It is also there that we get instant feedback, which confirms that we are doing things right.

Have you ever refused to collaborate with an artist due to the mismatch between their style and classical music?

I think there’s only one music genre which we can’t approach, and it’s not because of prejudices, but because we are not prepared for it. And yes, we refused a featuring proposal from a very well-known artist of this music genre. I don’t think we would have clicked.

Is there a particular artist you would like to collaborate with? What famous track do you think would sound good in a classical version?

We have very much wanted to perform with Bring Me The Horizon. Their songs are already orchestrated, and we were happy to see them at Electric Castle. The ideal song would be Bring Me The Horizon – Drown.

You collaborated with many Romanian artists, but also with foreign artists. How was your collaboration with Akua Naru?

Everything happened very fast. We met, went through all the tracks an hour before the concert and we appeared on stage very nervous. Sometimes music connects you better than the countless hours of practice, we were surprised how beautiful the concert was. We had the opportunity to record two albums with them, which were released on vinyl. We were very thankful for their trust.

The Muse Quartet collaborations have highlighted the qualities of many known songs. But do you feel that the opposite is also true? I mean, did these songs manage to increase the appeal of classical music among the younger generation?

We have felt it ourselves that music is universal. Hip hop fans started listening to us and the audience for classical music have been pleased to follow us through so many unusual genres for our instruments. It works both directions. We have been told many times that we brought ‘elegance’, ‘beauty’, ‘class’, ‘finesse’, ‘sensitivity’ or ‘glamour’ to the songs we performed. This was exactly what we tried to do, to make things more beautiful. Many have discovered the sound and were curious to find out what a classical quartet can do. This was one of our goals, to take the music and sound of a quartet beyond the walls of a music hall,
in the streets, where it is more accessible. We have friends who, after discovering us through various bands, came to our very own concerts.

Have you ever considered organizing a Muse Quartet concert with all your collaborators? Is this something that might happen?

You’re the first ones to ask us this question and we do confess that we have dreamt of such a concert and talked many times about the concept. In February 2020 we initiated the Musecology series of concerts, but unfortunately we had to cancel the shows.

Initially, you collaborated with underground artists, but recently you also had collaborations with Smiley and Delia. Will there be any other collaborations with mainstream artists?

There are mainstream artists with whom we would like to perform periodically. The Vanotek concerts are very dear to us. We will collaborate with other artists from this area, for sure.

What’s next for Muse Quartet?

We want to shoot a new video. Meanwhile we dream of the day that festivals will be able to open their gates, to feel the vibes coming from a live audience and to actually hear their applauds.

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