“I do not think there is any instrumental ensemble that has been penetrated so deeply by musical thought as the string quartet. It is in fact through it that the vessel of music has cast its sounding line into the deepest seas. After almost 250 years of life, it still cannot be reduced to the sum of its components and it presents itself to us, instead, as an ‘instrument’ whose dialectic between individuality and unanimity, between autonomy and homogeneity, seems to stand as a paradigm of an ideal society.” — Luciano Berio
The European Chamber Music Academy (ECMA) is a consortium that brings together some of the most prestigious European universities and music schools, conservatories and festivals in the field of chamber music, providing continuing education for emerging chamber ensembles on the European scene.
ECMA was founded in 2004 to develop internationally the activity of the European Academy of Quartet, conceived and established by Piero Farulli in 2002. He wanted Norbert Brainin, Milan Škampa and Hatto Beyerle with him as founding members. It was precisely Beyerle’s involvement that proved decisive for the foundation of ECMA.
From its establishment until 2020, the European Academy of Quartet also developed training activities within the Scuola, devising study sessions, creating educational protocols and specific tools, initially under the coordination and later under the artistic direction of Antonello Farulli.
The ECMA partner institutions host regular sessions in which renowned teachers work intensively with ensembles, offering new impulses for their artistic work. In addition, the lectures offered and the concerts organised for the general public complete the circle of a professional training programme of international standing.
ECMA members
Vienna, Austria – mdw – Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst
Grafenegg, Austria – Grafenegg Kulturbetriebsgesellschaft m.b.H.
Copenhagen, Denmark – The Royal Danish Academy of Music
Paris, France – Conservatoire national supérieur de musique
Fiesole, Italy – Scuola di Musica di Fiesole – Fondazione O.N.L.U.S.
Vilnius, Lithuania – Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre
Oslo, Norway – Norwegian Academy of Music
Bern, Switzerland – Royal Conservatoire
The Hague, Netherlands – Royal Conservatoire
Manchester, United Kingdom – Royal Northern College of Music
Munich, Germany – hmtm – Hochschule für Musik und Theater München
Flandern, Belgium – Flanders Festival Ghent in cooperation with KASK & Conservatorium
Budapest, Hungary – Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music
