Read more news stories here
The Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) has named the Novo Quartet as ensemble in association for 2025/26, in a year-long performance residency to support young international talent and inspire current students.
The Novo Quartet, comprising violinists Kaya Kato Møller and Nikolai Vasili Nedergaard, violist Daniel Śledziński, and cellist Signe Ebstrup Bitsch, was recently named as BBC New Generation Artists for 2025-27. The quartet won first prize at the 2023 Concours de Genève and is currently part of the Danish Arts Foundation’s Young Artistic Elite for 2024–2026.
Its first performance at RNCM will take place on 30 October in a free concert, featuring works by Haydn and Smetana.
The Copenhagen-based group will also mentor and coach students as part of RNCM’s String Quartet Studio Initiative, which in 2025/26, supports current student ensembles Juna Quartet and Dovestone Quartet, as well as recent graduates Talland Quartet.
Novo Quartet violinist Møller commented on the group’s new role: ‘As a young quartet with a growing career, we hope to be a friendly and approachable presence for the students, almost like colleagues or friends they can always come to.
’Apart from giving masterclasses and the occasional performances, we want to create an open and collaborative atmosphere through sight-reading sessions, open talks, and conversations about life as a quartet. We want to make sure there’s space for questions, sharing ideas, and a bit of fun too!’
In addition to the Novo Quartet, RNCM will also invite the Brodsky and Carducci quartets, plus cellists Abel Selaocoe and Leonard Elschenbroich, to mentor the RNCM String Quartet Studio ensembles, enabled by funding from the Albert and Eugenie Frost Music Trust CIO.
Additionally, the Paddington Trio returns to the RNCM for a third year as junior fellows in chamber music. The trio has won multiple awards including first prize at the 70th Royal Over-Seas League Competition for Strings and Piano Ensemble and the 2023 Parkhouse Award.
Highlights in the group’s 2025 calendar include engagements at Wigmore Hall, King’s Place, Chipping Campden Music Festival, and the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival.
In The Best of Technique you’ll discover the top playing tips of the world’s leading string players and teachers. It’s packed full of exercises for students, plus examples from the standard repertoire to show you how to integrate the technique into your playing.
In the second volume of The Strad’s Masterclass series, soloists including James Ehnes, Jennifer Koh, Philippe Graffin, Daniel Hope and Arabella Steinbacher give their thoughts on some of the greatest works in the string repertoire. Each has annotated the sheet music with their own bowings, fingerings and comments.
The Canada Council of the Arts’ Musical Instrument Bank is 40 years old in 2025. This year’s calendar celebrates some its treasures, including four instruments by Antonio Stradivari and priceless works by Montagnana, Gagliano, Pressenda and David Tecchler.