Novo Quartet Awarded 1st Prize at Concours de Genève

All rounds of this year's string quartet competition are now available for playback on The Violin Channel

The Denmark-based Novo Quartet has today been awarded the 1st Prize at the Concours de Genève String Quartet Competition, in Geneva, Denmark.

Comprising violinists Kaya Kato Møller and Nikolai Vasili Nedergaard, violist Daniel Śledziński and cellist Signe Ebstrup Bitsch, the ensemble formed in Copenhagen in 2018.

Currently undertaking graduate studies at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Vienna with Professor Johannes Meissl, the NOVOs are former major prize winners at the Carl Nielsen, Irene Steels-Wilsing Foundation and Trondheim International Chamber Music Competitions. The quartet previously studied with Professor Tim Frederiksen at The Royal Danish Academy of Music, and their mentors include members of the Alban Berg, Artemis and Danish String Quartets.

Joint-second prize was awarded to the Quatuor Elmire and the Quartett Hana.

This year's Audience Prize, Young Audience Prize, and Students Prize, were all awarded to the Novo Quartet.

In addition to cash prizes, all three ensembles will also receive two years of management from the Sartory Artists agency, and a number of special career workshop sessions — highlighting different subjects such as performance, health, career management, image, and social media.

The String Quartet jury comprised Corina Belcea (Chair), Stefan Fehlandt, Nobuko Imai, Gabriel Le Magadure, Christian Poltéra, Vineta Sareika, and Lydia Shelley.

Founded in 1939, Concours de Genève is one of the world’s leading international music competitions. It aims at discovering, promoting, and supporting young talented artists, giving them the necessary tools to launch an international career. Several main disciplines rotate annually, including piano, flute, oboe, clarinet, cello, viola, string quartet, voice, percussion, and composition, which is held every second year.