Léonie Sonning Talent Prize 2021
When Nikolai Vasili Nedergaard started his violin studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen in his late teens, he had no idea that already two years later he would be able to look back on concert trips to China, The Netherlands and around Scandinavia as well as great distinctions at several international competitions.
He only knew that his timetable told him he would be taking chamber music classes with his slightly older co-students: fellow violinist Kaya Kato Møller, cello player Signe Ebstrup Bitsch and viola player Daniel Pawel Śledziński. However, there was good chemistry in the classroom from day one, and with encouragement from their teacher Tim Frederiksen the Novo Quartet string quartet was soon a reality. Already after a few months they had even been registered for the prestigious Carl Nielsen competition.
“Even for our teacher to just encourage us to register was a prize in itself,” Daniels recalls. He also remembers the cheering when they survived all the way to the semi-finals. The semi-finals was as far as they got, but it was further than they had dared dream about. “It was magical!” Daniel sighs with a smile.
A small family
The intensive practice it takes to get that far in a big competition is something that can kickstart an orchestra. However, it is also a process that requires the members of the group to be a good fit. And the members of the Novo Quartet are a good fit, and they already feel like a small family.
“We’re like a rainbow family with two mothers and two sons,” Kaya suggests with a glint in her eye, referring to the fact that the two male members sometimes need to be kept on their toes. Nikolai, on the other hand, thinks that Kaya and Signe are like older sisters, but does admit that to ensure the high discipline needed in the quartet, they need some strong women to take control.
“Getting on so well was key to us getting so far in the competition,” Kaya says about the intensive run-up to the competition. Starting at the bottom, they would not have been able to reach such a high level had it not been for all that hard practice. Daniel confirms that taking part in this definitely made them stronger and made the quartet flourish from the beginning.
A lot of minor
They all agree that their strong team spirit and good chemistry would probably have made them reach the level they have today without getting that boost from the Carl Nielsen competition. It had probably just taken them a good while longer. And even longer because of the Covid-19 lockdown, which has really put their will power to the test. Concerts and classes have been cancelled, and they have had nothing to practise for and look forward to.
“Thankfully we’ve still been able to meet up during corona because we’re under the gathering limit. It’s been important for us to keep up a normal routine and have something to get out of bed for,” Signe says about the challenging time. A time that they have, however, been able to utilise for practising difficult works because they had each other. For instance Bella Bartok’s 2nd String quartet, which due to its fierce expressions has probably been a bit tiring for the people living beside the private open-plan kitchen/dining room, which they used as a rehearsal room while the music academy was closed.
“I think we all enjoy playing a bit coarsely and being a bit resentful while we play,” Nikolai
explains about their tendency to play the slightly dark works like the ones written by Bartok and Sjostakovitj. “Yes, we do tend to stick to minor. We’ve tried diving into the major thing, but it just didn’t turn out as good,” Kaya interrupts, laughing.
Calling it their trademark, however, may be a bit premature. Novo Quartet’s career rocket has only just been launched, and there is a lot of music out there waiting to be taken under their wings. In minor and major.
Novo Quartet in brief
Founded in 2018 as a school project at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen under Professor Tim Frederiksen.
Violin: Kaya Kato Møller. Born in 1997. From Gentofte.
Violin: Nikolai Vasili Nedergaard. Born in 2000. From Espergærde. Cello: Signe Ebstrup Bitsch. Born in 1997. From Helsingør.
Viola: Daniel Pawel Śledziński. Born in 1996. From Poland.
Concert trips to China, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and around Denmark.
Soloist performances with several established artists like Swedish pianist Per Tengstrand, oboe player and professor Max Artved and the Danish jazz duo Bremer/McCoy.
Winner of DR P2 Kammermusikkonkurrence 2020.
Semi-finalist in the Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition 2019. Winner of Køge Kammermusikkonkurrence 2019.
Winner of DKDM’s scholarship competition 2019.
The scholarship from the Léonie Sonning Music Foundation
Novo Quartet will spend the money from the Léonie Sonning Music Foundation on expenses connected with participating in competitions in i.a. Canada, Australia and Norway, further education and a professional recording of i.a. Bartok, Brahms and Haydn.
