Seen as the most promising young string quartet in the Netherlands, the Animato Quartet is known for its passionate, spontaneous playing and powerful on-stage presence. Founded in 2013, their programs combine both classical pieces drawn from the string quartet repertoire and contemporary compositions.
“Four top players with a vibrant energy, they captivate you from the first note! …..This quartet is the great promise of the Dutch string quartets”.
Dutch Classical Talent Award In January 2025 the Animato Quartet won the first prize at the international Irene Steels-Wilsing Foundation Competition and got an invitation to return to the Heidelberger Frühling festival 2026. In 2023 they collaborated with violist Nils Mönkemeyer in Kammermusikpreis Gut Hasselburg in Germany, where they received the 1st prize and the Audience prize. In 2022 at the 9th International Joseph Joachim Chamber Music Competition in Weimar, the quartet received the Special Prize for an exceptionally talented ensemble. In September 2021, at Trondheim’s famed International Chamber Music Competition, the Animato Quartet won both third prize and a Special Jury Prize.
The Quartet was invited to participate in the prominent Verbier Festival Academy 2022 and was selected as one of only ten quartets to compete in the prestigious Banff International String Quartet Competition (Canada) in 2022.
In 2023 the Kersjes Prize, the most important state prize for classical chamber music talent, was given to these four musicians. From the jury report: “Four players, each maintaining and using their individual expression, have developed a multi-layered and intense playing as a quartet with a wide palette of colours”.
“Vierspelers, die elk hun individuele expressie behouden en gebruiken, hebben een gelaagd en intens spel ontwikkeld als een kwartet met een breed kleurenpalet”.
Within the Netherlands Animato has performed at all major venues. Outside of the Netherlands they have given concerts in venues such as the Philharmonie in Paris, the Luxemburg Philharmonie and in the chamber music series of the Gewandhaus in Leipzig. The quartet has also performed at numerous international festivals in the Netherlands such as the Utrecht International Chamber Music Festival, the Stift Music festival and the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam. Outside of the Netherlands they have performed at festivals in Portugal, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and France.
Until 2022, the Animato was ‘artist in residence’ of the Dutch String Quartet Academy (NSKA). Their development both as musicians and as a quartet has also greatly benefited from lessons and mentorship of some of the most recognised players in their disciplines, such as Eberhard Feltz, Marc Danel, Hatto Beyerle, Anner Bylsma, Jan-Willem de Vriend, Alfred Brendel, Gerhard Schultz and Vera Beths.
The quartet ended 2024 with a two week tour in Indonesia organised by the Erasmushuis in Jakarta, where they gave concerts and workshops in Jakarta, Ambon and Makassar. The upcoming year will result in two CD-releases, a first release of Osvaldo Golijov’s Nonet “Ever Yours” and their debut album featuring works by Britten and Bartok.
Furthermore, some highlights include their return to the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam as well as their debut in Finland, Hungary and the Oslo Quartet Series. They are once again engaged at the String Quartet Biennale in Amsterdam in 2026 and will be performing alongside the Quatuor Danel at Diligentia in The Hague later in the season.
The Animato Quartet is grateful and privileged to play on exquisite instruments. Inga plays a violin by Tommasso Eberle from 1776 (Naples), on loan from Dextra Musica. Tim plays a violin by Johannes Theodorus Cuypers from 1797 (Netherlands), Elisa Karen plays a viola by Daniel Royé from 2017, and Pieter plays a Dutch cello by Pieter Rombouts from 1710.

Jelmer de Moed (1995) is a passionate clarinetist who combines his love for chamber music with innovative musical projects within Studio de Moed. He studied at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler, where he obtained his master’s degree with highest distinction in 2021.

A refined performer. He masters his instrument completely and showcases the entire color palette of the clarinet. – Dutch Classical Talent 2021

He was nominated for the Grachtenfestival Prize, was a finalist in the Dutch Classical Talent Award, and recorded his debut CD with pianist Rik Kuppen for AVROTROS Klassiek, which was released in September 2022. He completed the Curatorial Practice in Music course at ArtEZ and curated the festival Geestverwanten for ClassicalNOW last season. Since 2025, he has been part of the artistic collective of the Noorderkerkconcerten. Additionally, he is an artist-in-residence at the Muziekgebouw Production House, for which he received a stipend from the Kersjes Fund.

Within Studio de Moed, Jelmer initiates interdisciplinary collaborations such as NOX (2021), Schaduwspel (2023), and Leven(loos) (2024). In the spring of 2026, Een Lyrisch Intermezzo will premiere at TivoliVredenburg, a project in which he collaborates with pianist Rik Kuppen, poet Maud Vanhauwaert, and composers Willem Jeths and Mathilde Wantenaar.

In the coming season, as an artist-in-residence at the Muziekgebouw Production House, he will engage with audiences through his series YOU. With You don’t hate Mondays as a festive opening, followed by You can live as a Ghost, he will tour the Netherlands and Portugal with Elisabeth Hetherington and Agostinho Sequeira, presenting their new recording featuring music by Nuno Lobo. Additionally, he will premiere MANA with Laura Daelemans and Seppe Idigne for I Solisti at Theater Noord in Antwerp and will perform Brahms’ Clarinet Quintet with the Animato Quartet during the Zondagochtendconcert at the Concertgebouw.