String Quartet M4GNET • Lossimuusika
Sunday, April 26, 2026 at 6 p.m.
Kadriorg Palave / Kadriorg Art Museum, Tallinn
PALACE MUSIC
String Quartet M4GNET
Robert Traksmann - violin
Katariina Maria Kits-Reimal - violin
Mart Kuusma - viola
Progem:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
String Quartet in E flat major, KV 428
Tõnu Kõrvits
"Thule mustrid" ("Thule Patterns")
Bedrich Smetana
String Quartet No. 1 in E minor "From My Life"
M4GNET Quartet is an avid and forward-looking Estonian string quartet, praised for its ever-widening repertoire, spirited performances, and passionate interplay. The ensemble consists of violinists Robert Traksmann and Katariina Maria Kits-Reimal, violist Mart Kuusma, and cellist Siluan Hirvoja. M4GNET Quartet seeks to perform venerable classical repertoire in tandem with forgotten works from the diverse and multifaceted string quartet heritage and regularly premieres new music. The musicians of M4GNET have played together in various formations for more than ten years, but the decisive impulse to form a stable string quartet came from the residency programme initiative of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia. The objective of the residency programme is to expand opportunities for chamber ensembles by supporting the establishment of ensembles, offering opportunities to collaborate with an artist manager, and broaden the repertoire with newly commissioned compositions. The M4GNET Quartet has participated in several festivals, including the Pärnu Music Festival (artistic director Paavo Järvi), Tallinn Chamber Music Festival, the TubIN festival in Tartu, Haapsalu Early Music Festival, and the contemporary music festival Estonian Music Days. M4GNET has been selected to participate in the international program Le Dimore del Quartetto, through which M4GNET gives concerts outside Estonia. Last November, the group performed in the university city of Oxford as part of the Arvo Pärt anniversary year. The quartet has collectively honed its skills in masterclasses led by renowned figures in the art of the string quartet, such as Simone Gramaglia (Quartetto di Cremona), Marc Danel (Quatuor Danel), and Peter Jarůšek (Pavel Haas Quartet).
Robert Traksmann began playing the violin at the age of 4 under the guidance of teacher Tiiu Peäske. He graduated from the Tallinn Music High School and obtained a master's degree from the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin (Prof. Kolja Blacher). Robert Traksmann has improved his skills in master classes with Florian Donderer, Ivry Gitlis, Ulrike Danhofer, Arvo Leibur, Jüri Gerretz, and others. Since spring 2022, Robert has been a member of the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra. Robert has performed as a soloist with several orchestras: Oulu Symphony, Jyväskylä Symphony, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Pärnu City Orchestra, among others. As an active chamber musician, Robert Traksmann has had a long-standing connection with the ensemble Trio '95, along with Rasmus Andreas Raide and Marcel Johannes Kits. In 2020, the trio received the Annual Award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia's Sound Arts Foundation. Robert has been playing in the string quartet M4GNET since its founding in 2021.
Katariina Maria Kits-Reimal began violin studies at the Tallinn Music High School under Marge Lill, in 2004 her teacher became Tiiu Peäske. She then studied at the Lausanne Conservatory in Switzerland under Svetlana Makarova, obtaining her bachelor's degree (cum laude) under the guidance of Arvo Leibur at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. Her studies continue under Professor Pavel Berman in Lugano (Conservatorio della Svizzerla Italiana). She has enhanced her skills in masterclasses with renowned musicians: Detlef Hahn, Pavel Vernikov, Jan Repko, Nicolas Dautricourt, Florian Donderer, Petru Munteanu, Ulrike Danhofer, Francis Gouton, and others. She has achieved success in numerous competitions, including the grand prix at the "Con fantasia" competition (2010, 2012, 2014); 2nd place at the Baltic String Players Competition in Vilnius (2018), as well as winning the 2014 "Classical Stars" television competition in Estonia. Katariina Maria has performed as a soloist with several orchestras, including Kymi Sinfonietta, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Vaasa City Orchestra, Pärnu City Orchestra, and others. She plays a violin made by Henricus Catenar in 1670, kindly provided for her by the Estonian Foundation of Musical Instruments. Mart Kuusma began his viola studies at the Tallinn Music High School under the guidance of Toomas Nestor, continuing his education under the same teacher at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, and since 2016, at the Detmold Music Academy in Germany in the class of Professor Diemut Poppen.
Mart Kuusma has participated in masterclasses of Nils Mönkemeyer, Máté Szűcs, Xandi van Dijk, Veit Hertenstein, Peijun Xu, Christian Euler, Hermann Menninghaus, Aleksandr and Mihhail Zemtsov, among others. As an enthusiastic chamber musician, he has taken part in several competitions, achieving, for instance, 2nd place in a piano trio at the “Pavasario Sonata” competition in Lithuania. Mart Kuusma has also been involved with several orchestras, including the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Detmold Chamber Orchestra, and from 2014 to 2016, he was a laureate of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra Academy. Since 2021, he has been a member of the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and also joined the string quartet M4GNET that year.
Siluan Hirvoja began his cello studies at Nõmme Music School under the guidance of teacher Kaia Tambi, continuing his education in the esteemed cello class of Mart Laas at Tallinn Music High School. In 2021, he obtained a master's degree from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre under the guidance of Henry-David Varema. Siluan has participated in masterclasses with several prominent cellists, including Georgi Anichenko, Jan-Erik Gustafsson, and Marko Ylönen, and he has also successfully performed in various international competitions. Siluan Hirvoja is a member of the cello section of the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and participates actively in the esteemed Estonian string quartet M4GNET Quartet, acclaimed for its vibrant performances and enthusiastic collaboration, an ensemble that is garnering a growing international recognition for its artistic excellence.
Kadriorg Palace is one the most well known and beautiful historic concert halls in Estonia offering memorable music experiences already for many decades. The tradition of performing music in the baroque palace goes back to 18th century when court music accompanied the daily life. The palace has had the pleasure to welcome many international artists and ensembles for outstanding performances.
The construction of the Kadriorg Palace was started by the Tsar Peter the Great of Russia in 1718. It was named Catharinenthal (in Estonian Kadriorg) in honour of his wife Catherine I. The palace was designed by the Italian architect Nicola Michetti and its abundantly decorated main hall is one of the most exquisite examples of baroque architecture both in Estonia and in northern Europe.
Kadriorg Palace has always been the crown jewel of Tallinn. The small festive tsars’ palace in the style of Roman Baroque, surrounded by a regular garden, with fountains, hedges and flowerbeds, planned after the model of Versailles.
The palace was a summer residence of Russian emperors untill 1917. In the 1920s, and again in 1946-1991 palace served as the main building of the Art Museum of Estonia. In the 1930s, it was the residence of the Head of State of the Estonian Republic. In 2000, it was opened as the Kadriorg Art Museum, which displays the largest collection of old Russian and Western European art in Estonia.
Music has been performed in the palace halls since the 18th century. In the past few decades, the most brilliant Estonian and international musicians have delighted listeners in the palace. Regular concerts started to take place in the Kadriorg Palace again in 2014, when the museum launched the Palace Music Concert Series. The extraordinary acoustics and the magnificent interior of the main hall make every concert a truly enjoyable artistic experience.
The artistic director of the Palace Music Concert Series is Aare Tammesalu.
In cooperation of the Art Museum of Estonia.
Tickets are on sale at the Kadriorg Art Museum and Piletikeskus outlets.
Supporters: Estonian Ministry of Culture, The Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Estonian Public Broadcasting, Tallinn Culture and Sports Department, UNESCO City of Music Tallinn, Kultuurikõla, Pointprint
Special thanks: Visit Estonia, Visit Tallinn, Õhtuleht
Concert tickets are not refundable, but if necessary, we can exchange them for passes to other Palace Music concerts
