Community Engagement

The Tana Quartet’s first priority is to create immersive concert experiences that engage the imagination and emotions of listeners – all listeners. According to violinist and founder Antoine Maisonhaute, “We realized that music and culture were out of reach for many low-income individuals and those in rural areas. Additionally, young people sometimes imagine a string quartet as something serious and even abstract. We needed to shrink the distance between ourselves and our audiences. So we started questioning our relationship with listeners and trying to find another way. As artists, we are making connections on a local level, finding what speaks to people, even through contemporary music. It is essential to connect with people.”

To this end, Tana designed Music Far and Wide in 2018 to bring performances to unexpected places. Through this program, the quartet travels to retirement communities, hospitals, and even grocery stores to create musical bonds with new audiences.

Soon afterward, One-Day Orchestra was born, bringing listeners into the process of musical discovery through hands-on creative work. Over the course of a single day, participants experience every step in creating and engaging with new music, just as Tana does year round. This program brings individuals together to listen, learn, and be inspired.