For more than 30 years, Cikada String Quartet has sought to expand the boundaries of the conventional string quartet format. Several high-profile collaborations with leading composers of our time, as well as their considerable artistic versatility has made the quartet one of the mainstays on the Nordic contemporary scene.

 

The quartet has been an integrated part of the 9-piece Cikada Ensemble since its inception in 1989 and has made a considerable number of recordings both as a quartet and as a part of the larger ensemble. They gained early recognition when their album Black Angels on the Cala label, with music by George Crumb, Witold Lutoslawski, and Anton Webern, won the Norwegian Grammy Spellemannprisen for 1995. They were awarded the Edison award in 2006 for their album In due tempi on ECM, featuring music by John Cage, Bruno Madena, og Kaija Saariaho.

 

An important aspect of the quartet’s work has been the commissioning and promotion of new Norwegian music for string quartet. Over the years, Cikada String Quartet has premiered a great number of works by composers such as Cecilie Ore, Henrik Hellstenius, Jon Øivind Ness, Eivind Buene, Håkon Thelin, and Harpreet Bansal.

 

Cikada String Quartet has toured extensively in Norway and Europe, and has also visited Australia, Mexico, and the USA. In addition to appearing on dedicated contemporary music festivals such as Ultima, Ilios, and Only Connect, the quartet also performs at venues like Oslo Chamber Music Festival, Hardanger Musikkfest, Molde Jazz Festival, and Oslo Quartet Series. As an integrated part of the Cikada Ensemble the quartet has performed at prestigious European contemporary music festivals such as Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, Donaueschingen Musiktage, Klangspuren Schwaz, Tage für Neue Musik Weingarten, and many others.

 

The quartet is a sought-after collaboration partner in Norwegian and international music life and appears on a number of recordings with musicians like for example Jon Balke, The Source, Arild Andersen, Mette Henriette, Anette Peacock, and Steve Kuhn.