Winners of multiple international prizes and newly selected as BBC New Generation Artists for 2025–27, NOVO Quartet has established itself among Europe’s most captivating young ensembles. From outreach school performances in Kenya to grand concert halls across Europe, the Danish quartet embraces diversity in every sense – and with the release of its first full-length album on 5 October, it has captured both its artistic range and unity of sound.

Formed in Copenhagen in 2018, NOVO Quartet grew out of a friendship formed at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. “We were four people who really enjoyed spending time together and felt that we had something special musically,” says violinist Signe Bitsch. “It was never about trying to build a career – it just evolved naturally, one step at a time.” Within a few years, the quartet gained international recognition, winning the Carl Nielsen Chamber Music Competition and the Irene Steels-Wilsing Competition in Heidelberg.

Four voices, one vision – NOVO Quartet on friendship, focus and a first album

That combination of groundedness and ambition defines the approach. While its training is firmly rooted in the classical tradition, NOVO Quartet brings a distinctly contemporary energy to its music-making – a balance of technical precision and emotional directness that has drawn audiences across continents. “We want to show that classical music can still feel fresh, alive and relevant,” says Bitsch. “When we play for schoolchildren in Kenya or Greenland, it’s amazing to see how they respond – it reminds us why we started making music in the first place.”

The album TRACK 1, released on 5 October, features Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 8, Matias Vestergård’s Hjerteblad (2024), and Carl Nielsen’s String Quartet No. 1, Op. 13, a programme that reflects the quartet’s blend of emotional intensity and Scandinavian roots. “For us, this album is a kind of musical portrait,” Bitsch explains. “It’s not just about showing what we can do, but about sharing who we are – four individuals who found each other and grew together through music.”

With its first album released, NOVO Quartet is firmly establishing itself as one of Europe’s most exciting young ensembles. For anyone curious about the next generation of chamber music, it is well worth seeking out the quartet’s recordings or catching them live.

Left to right: Kaya Kato Møller, Nikolai Vasili Nedergaard, Signe Ebstrup Bitsch, Daniel Śledziński. | Four voices, one vision – NOVO Quartet on friendship, focus and a first album

Left to right: Kaya Kato Møller, Nikolai Vasili Nedergaard, Signe Ebstrup Bitsch, Daniel Śledziński.

Web: www.novoquartet.com
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Instagram: @novoquartet

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