Strygekvartetten Akela

About

AKELA String Quartet was formed at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in 2019 by four musicians who have played together since childhood: violinists Clara Glasdam and Gustav Ranum, violist Kirsten Wilbrandt Kjær, and cellist Oskar Reuben Friis-Hansen. Studying in the soloist class under professor Tim Frederiksen and the Danish String Quartet, they have performed across Europe, China and Canada, and won first prize at both the ENKOR (2021) and LFN (2022) International Chamber Music Competitions. They received the Carl Nielsen Talent Prize in 2023 and the Léonie Sonning Talent Prize in 2024, and released their debut album of Sune Kølster's string quartets in November 2024.

first prize, ENKOR International Chamber Music Competition (2021)

first prize, LFN International Chamber Music Competition (2022)

50+

national and international concerts

What's new

2026-04
AKELA performed a concert with pianist Gustav Piekut at Hjørring Musikforening on April 12, 2026.
2025-11
AKELA performed at Tønderegnens Musikforening on November 30, 2025.
2025-02
AKELA participated in P2 Koncerten on February 26, 2025 with a program about self-criticism and the inner voice, with composer Sune Kølster as a guest on stage.
2024-11
On November 29, 2024, AKELA released their debut album with Sune Kølster's two string quartets on vinyl, CD and streaming, and celebrated the release with a release concert at Musikhuset in Copenhagen.
2024-05
AKELA received the Leonie Sonning Talent Prize in 2024; the prize is to be used for masterclasses abroad and teaching with Den Danske Strygekvartet.