The Danish String Quartet

In the space of just a few years, the Danish String Quartet (DSQ) has become one of the most important names on the Danish and international music scene.

The DSQ has distinguished itself as interpreters of the classical repertoire: first of all one must mention their interpretations and recordings of Carl Nielsen’s quartets, which reveal great empathy and virtuosity in their work with Denmark’s national Grand Master. However, their interpretations of Beethoven, in particular, have also attracted attention for their superiority, and not just youthful understanding. Contemporary music also has the DSQ’s interest, and the combination of these two things has resulted in a highly praised series of five albums, each of them containing a late Beethoven quartet, a Bach fugue and an iconic contemporary string quartet, for example by Schnittke, Ligeti, Shostakovich or Abrahamsen. The first of these brought the DSQ an international Grammy nomination.

The DSQ has also attracted attention in completely different circles from the usual fans of chamber music. Their recording “Woodworks”, which presents Scandinavian folk music in the quartet members’ own piquant and loose arrangements, has attracted huge attention, especially among a large, young audience who have now become aware of the great qualities of chamber music.

In the summer of 2018, the DSQ premiered an accordion quintet by Bent Sørensen, and the quartet will present Thomas Agerfeldt Olesen’s “Concerto Grosso” together with both Copenhagen Phil and the Odense Symphony Orchestra in the coming autumn.

The DSQ has its own annual festival, at which they invite highly talented young musician friends from all over the world to perform. By this means, they have managed to create a new and extremely fruitful environment around their work, with an enthusiastic audience, showing new ways to enrich and renew the entire classical chamber music concept.

The DSQ has organised and played concerts with the Danish National Girls’ Choir and the Danish National Vocal Ensemble in connection with their title as P2 Artist of 2018. In addition, they have also performed more traditional concerts with, amongst others, Augustin Hadelich, the Ébène Quartet and the Artemis Quartet, and have presented new concert productions with music by Jennifer Walshe, Bent Sørensen, Jörg Widmann and others.