Formed under the midnight sun in Lofoten in 2006, the Engegård Quartet rapidly became one of the most sought after ensembles in Norway, performing at the Bergen Festival and the Oslo Chamber Music Festival in their very first season. Their debut CD was hailed as Norway’s best classical release of 2008 by the prominent music critic, Kjell Hillveg. The same CD garnered international praise too; ”the playing is breath-taking” (The Strad), ”First rate quartet playing” (International Record Review). Their second release won the “Supersonic Award” in the music magazine Pizzicato. The Engegård Quartet has also released a CD of the complete works for quartet by Catharinus Elling with Simax.

The Engegård Quartet has attracted international recognition with their brave and fresh interpretations of the classical repertoire, combined with an irresistible inclination to be true to their Scandinavian roots, inspiring both Nordic programs and partnerships. Their schedule has taken the Engegård Quartet in recent years to the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Luxembourg Philharmonic, Stockholm Grünewaldsalen, Dublin City Hall, Prague Rudolfinum, Copenhagen Radio Koncertsalen, Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Gothenburg Music Conservatory, Delft Chamber Music Festival, SoNoRo Festival in Bucharest, Kulturwald in Germany, Heidelberg Streichquartettfest and Lenzburgiade in Switzerland.

According to the critics, the Engegård Quartet has played ”Elegantly and expressively” in Gothenburg, are “ A masterful ensemble!” in Luxembourg, and in Dublin ”the audience roared their approval!”

The Engegård Quartet have had the honour to work with among others Leif Ove Andsnes, Håvard Gimse, Christian Ihle Hadland, Frans Helmerson, Nobuko Imai, Emma Johnson, Kim Kashkashian, Marianne Beate Kielland, Nils Anders Mortensen and András Schiff. The quartet also thrive in the company of folk musicians Susanne Lundeng and Nils Økland, actor Bjørn Sundquist and troubadour Halvdan Sivertsen.

Arvid Engegård is the creator and Artistic Director of the Lofoten International Chamber Music Festival, an intimate chamber music experience in spectacular scenery. A regular fixture in the Engegård Quartet’s summer, “the world’s most beautiful festival” is a meeting place for some of the most eminent musicians.

Juliet Jopling is the creator and artistic director of Oslo Quartet Series, an international quartet series with partners in Bodø and Trondheim, which is really putting the string quartet on the map in Norway.

The Engegård Quartet is supported by the Norwegian Arts Council and Lene Holding.