OUR STORY

Maastricht Society of Music (MSM) traces its origins to 2016 when Nikita Akulov, the ensemble's first violinist , founded the organization with a vision to foster collaboration between music students at the Conservatorium Maastricht and cultural institutions/private clients. The initial concept centered on creating an association that facilitated performance opportunities for its members while bridging connections with various cultural entities.

Gradually , the ensemble transitioned into a fixed string quartet format ion, recognizing the success and cohesion achieved within this configuration. Thus, in 2018, the MSM String Quartet was finally established.

With a diverse roster of musicians with different nationalities, the quartet boasts a distinctive international character . Since its inception, the MSM Quartet has perfomed over 200 concerts throughout The Netherlands and across Europe.

MSM was honored with a grant in the Stadsgoud Competition, organized by the Elisabeth Strouven Fonds, in recognition of its innovative approach to community engagement through social and cultural events. This grant has since been instrumental in realizing the Maastricht Classical Chamber Music Series, which debuted in 2019, enriching the cultural landscape of the region.

MSM Quartet was awarded the Grand Prix du Public at the Maastricht Awards of Music in 2022. In 2024 they win the First Great Award at the Vienna International Competition. This accomplishment affords the quartet the opportunity to record their Debut Album with Orpheus Label, which will be distributed and promoted internationally , launching and propelling their global recognition.

The quartet has received guidance from renowned chamber musicians such as Abel Tomàs (Cuarteto Casals) , Alexander Pavlovsky (Jerusalem Quartet) , Simone Grammaglia (Quartetto di Cremona) François Kieffer (Quatuor Modigliani ) , David Faber (Dudok Quartet) , Luc-Marie Aguera (Quatuor Ysaÿe) , Gerhard Schulz (Alban Berg Quartet) and Marc Danel (Quatuor Danel ) among others.

Since 2024, the quartet has been affiliated with the Netherlands String Quartet Academy (NSKA) where they receive mentorship. MSM is also a member of the international initiative Musethica.

A group of four musicians in formal attire holding string instruments. Three hold violins or violas, and one instrument, a cello, rests on the floor in front of them.

THE MUSICIANS

Man in black suit holding a violin against a plain background.

  • Nikita Akulov, born in Chelyabinsk (Russia) in 1990, embarked on his musical journey at the esteemed Chelyabinsk Music School. He furthered his education at the Ural State Music College (Yekaterinburg), studying under the tutelage of Wolf Usminsky and Irina Mezrin. In 2014, Nikita obtained his Bachelor’s degree from the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, under the guidance of Professor Irina Bochkova.

    During his academic pursuits, Nikita enriched his musical experience by collaborating with renowned ensembles. He contributed his talents to the Moscow Chamber Orchestra "Musica Viva," under the baton of Alexander Roudine, for one year. Subsequently, he honed his skills as a member of the Moscow State Chamber Orchestra, directed by Alexey Utkin, for four years. Since 2015, and during his 10 years living in The Netherlands, Nikita has been an esteemed member of the Antwerpen International Chamber Orchestra (LCO).

    In 2022, Nikita concluded his Master studies at the Maastricht Conservatorium, guided by Prof. Yuzuko Horigome.

    Currently, he holds the position of first violinist at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liège and he is a formal member of MSM String Quartet.

Man in glasses holding a violin, wearing a black suit jacket, against a gray background.

  • He began his musical studies at the age of four. He made his solo debut in 2009 with the “Escuela de Música Manuel de Falla” orchestra and later with the “Banda Immemorial del Rey” in 2012. He completed his professional studies at the "Adolfo Salazar" Conservatory under Anna Baget, graduating with honors in 2017.

    In 2018, he was admitted to both the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he studied under Joshua Fisher. While in London, he collaborated with various ensembles and performed in venues such as Duke’s Hall and St John’s Smith Square, taking part in projects supported by the Instituto Cervantes and other institutions. He also played with the Royal Academy Symphony Orchestra under Sir Marc Elder.

    Currently, he is pursuing a master’s degree with Yuzuko Horigome at the Maastricht Conservatory. He has led the Lumen Ensemble and the Maastricht Kamerorkest, performing at events like the "Night of Classical." Awarded 2nd prize at the "London International Music Competition 2023," he was also a member of the Golden String Quartet, with whom he has recorded a CD and won several competitions. He has participated in international music courses and received masterclasses from renowned violinists.

  • Júlia Ferrer is a Catalan violist dedicated to the performance of orchestral and chamber music. From a young age until the present, she has evolved a sensibility for classical music and, at the same time, she keeps refining her abilities with it. Her studies brought her from Barcelona, where she studied at the Conservatori Superior del Liceu with Prof. Ashan Pillai, to Maastricht, where she finished her Master with Prof. Julia Dinerstein.

    She has been part of several orchestras such as the Jove Orquestra Nacional de Catalunya or the Simfònica de Cobla i Corda de Catalunya and different chamber music ensembles, especially in Catalonia, being able to perform at many of the most important halls of the region like the Palau de la Música Catalana or the Auditori de Barcelona, as well as some halls in The Netherlands, like the Theater aan het Vrijthof (Maastricht), the Muziekgebouw Eindhoven or the Parkstad Limburg Theaters (Heerlen). Since the end of 2022 she has been dedicated to the MSM Quartet as one of the current members.

    During her studies she has received guidance by other renowned musicians as well such as Jonathan Brown, Michael Kugel, Kyoko Yonemoto, Marc Totten and Michail Zemtsov between others.

A woman with a cello, wearing a black lace top, looks to the side.

  • Born in Barcelona in 1994, Judit commenced her musical journey with the cello at the age of five. After completing her elementary studies under Adam Glubinksy in Barcelona, she pursued further education in Berlin in 2012, receiving private instruction from Beate Altenburg and Katarzyna Polonek.

    At the young age of 12 she obtained her first award with her string chamber music ensemble, in the competition Jugend Musiziert 2006, winning the first prize.

    In 2014, Judit embarked on her Bachelor studies with Mirel Iancovici at the Maastricht Conservatorium, followed by her Master of Music degree under the guidance of Prof. Gabriel Schwabe in 2018. With a proven early interest in chamber formations, she is devoted to MSM String Quartet. Furthermore, she is a valued member of the Spanish ensemble "Falla Ensemble," specializing in contemporary music performance.

    Judit's orchestral experience includes membership in prestigious institutions such as the NJO in 2019 and the GMJO in 2020, in addition to serving as an active substitute for the "Vigo 430," a professional orchestra based in Galicia, Spain. In 2024 she has been academist in Bergen National Opera and occupied the principal cello position at the ONJ Youth Orchestra. Presently, she performs on an instrument crafted by Saskia Schouten in 2005, provided by the foundation Nationaal Instrumenten Fonds in the Netherlands.