The Absalon String Quartet is a young Nordic quartet formed by musicians from Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, based in Copenhagen. The ensemble was formed during the 2020 lockdown at the initiative of its two violinists, Thera Ortved and Andreas Lienhøft Larsen. Its name refers to Absalon, a historical figure closely linked to the founding and development of Copenhagen. The lineup is currently completed by Alva Rasmussen, viola, and Hedda Steengaard Sørensen, cello.
Shortly after its creation, the quartet won First Prize in the first edition of the Rued Langgaard Competition in 2021. In 2023, it won the Danish Radio Chamber Music Competition, where it also became one of the audience’s favorite ensembles, and subsequently received the Léonie Sonning Talent Prize. In 2025, it achieved one of its main international successes by winning Second Prize and the Audience Award at the Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition.
The Absalon String Quartet is currently pursuing a two-year master’s degree in chamber music at the Robert Schumann Hochschule in Düsseldorf, where they work with Eckart Runge, a member of the Artemis Quartett. They have also received regular training from Tim Frederiksen and members of the Danish String Quartet at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. Through programs and masterclasses from institutions such as Jeunesses Musicales Deutschland, ECMA, and ProQuartet, the ensemble has worked with musicians such as Günter Pichler, Heime Müller, Hélène Clément, Eugene Drucker, and David Harrington, as well as composers Missy Mazzoli and Jessie Montgomery.
