Danish String Quartet

The Danish String Quartet consists of Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen (violin), Frederik Øland (violin), Asbjørn Nørgaard (viola), and Fredrik Sjölin (cello). Until 2008, the cellist was Carl-Oscar Østerlind.

The quartet is renowned for its technical perfection, infectious musicality, and innovative programming. It has won top prizes in numerous national and international competitions, including DR’s Chamber Music Competition (2004), Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition (2005), and the London International String Quartet Competition (2009). They have also received the Carl Nielsen Prize (2011) and the Wilhelm Hansen Foundation Honorary Award (2015).

They have twice served as artists-in-residence with the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (2006, 2018), as well as at Lincoln Center in New York (2013–2016), BBC New Generation Artists (2013–2015), and Musical America’s Ensemble of the Year (2020).

Their recordings include the complete string quartets of Carl Nielsen (Dacapo, 2007–08), which earned critical acclaim and Editor’s Choice honors from Gramophone Magazine. Their albums Wood Works (Dacapo, 2013) and Last Leaf (ECM, 2016), featuring Nordic folk music, were international sensations and won multiple awards—including Album of the Year 2017 from NPR and several DR P2 awards. In August 2024, they released Keel Road (ECM), their third folk-focused album.

https://www.danishquartet.com