Amarantos Quartet

We are delighted to welcome Amarantos Quartet back to Congress Square Park this season for an encore performance.

All four members of Amarantos Quartet are classically trained, though their work as an ensemble also reflects their experience outside of classical music. From playing fiddle in an old-time band, to performing and recording with pop artists, to playing in a Middle Eastern takht, all four members of the quartet make a life of creatively pushing the limits. They share a belief that their instruments, experiences, and training allow them to cross the musical, artistic, and even social boundaries associated with different genres. Together as a string quartet, Amarantos seeks to show that this ensemble of two violins, a viola and a cello can be timeless and borderless.

With this foundation, Amarantos draws from the traditional classical canon but also from other musical genres. Violist, arranger, and composer Bryan Brash has adapted and continues to adapt many works, from tangos, to jazz, to pop songs, for the quartet. The group also seeks to bring their music out of the traditional concert hall and into venues where classical string players can reach new audiences. Though some might see it as innovative or progressive, this decision is partially motivated by the origins of chamber music and the string quartet, when performances were often held in smaller venues where performer and spectator could be close and even interactive. So, while you can experience Amarantos Quartet’s music in a more traditional concert format, you can also catch them playing more casually in environments such as a cocktail bar or a house-concert.

Since coming together in Portland, Maine in 2013, the group has performed with pop artist Halsey on The TonightShow with Jimmy Fallon; on Sofar Sounds Maine on their own, and again as guests of artist Sara Hallie Richardson; at the TEDxDirigo Mavericks and Misfits; on The Cold River Radio Show; at The Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center; and also regularly throughout Maine and the greater Portland area on their own and in collaboration with many other artists.