Concert 23 januari 2026 20:00
Het Batavierhuis, Rotterdam
The North Sea String Quartet is the Dutch jazz string quartet of the moment. The improvising string players shed new light on the traditional string quartet with their distinctive improvisations, innovative playing styles, and quirky compositions, inspired by modern jazz, world music, contemporary classical music, and EDM.
The quartet has been active internationally for many years, including collaborations with artists such as Ambrose Akinmusire (USA), Trio da Kali (ML), Roland Satterwhite (USA), Lilian Vieira (BR), Javier Infante (ES), and Samora Pinderhughes (USA).
For their second album, Zonar, the quartet explored the possibilities of translating sound textures from electronic music to an acoustic string ensemble. An exciting joint exploration of prepared bow playing, modular composition, and improvisation resulted in sparkling compositions. This exclusive try-out at the Batavierhuis marks the beginning of their international album release tour.
Concert 23 januari 2026 20:15
De Kerk, Tienhoven
Inspired by the marigold flower, known for its resilience and vibrant energy, the Marigold Piano Quartet brings warmth and intensity to its performances. The ensemble was founded in 2022 in Amsterdam and consists of Dutch violinist Ruña 't Hart, British violist Connie Pharoah, Dutch cellist Kalle de Bie, and Dutch-Chinese pianist Mengjie Han. Despite being relatively new to the chamber music scene, the quartet has already made a strong impression with performances at the Concertgebouw and broadcasts on the Dutch classical radio station NPO Radio 4.
The quartet embodies a passionate and sincere approach to chamber music and explores repertoire from all periods. Their musical development has been greatly influenced by the guidance of Eberhart Feltz, whose mentorship has played a crucial role in shaping their artistic voice. Additionally, they refined their playing during masterclasses with internationally renowned musicians, including Luc-Marie Aguera of the Ysaÿe Quartet and Marc Danel of the Danel Quartet.
Concert 24 januari 2026 16:00
Nieuwe Kerk, Den Haag
Matangi Quartet presents a new edition of the Moving Music Festival on Saturday, January 24, 2026. After eight successful editions of the Unheard Music Festival and an anniversary year, the Slovak composer Vladimir Godár is now at the forefront: a unique, introspective musical voice that is rarely heard live in the Netherlands.
"We search for music that moves and sets things in motion," says Matangi. "Godár's work touches on the big questions of our time: identity, silence, and humanity."
Vladimir Godár - a composer for now
In a world full of noise and acceleration, Godár's music invites contemplation and reflection. His sound language is melancholic, spiritual, and rooted in Central European culture. Godár (1956), a composer and musicologist, gained international recognition with his vocal cycle Mater, and is often compared to Arvo Pärt and Henryk Górecki -- not in style, but in spiritual expressiveness.
Matangi brings his music to the Dutch stage "because Godár's work reminds us of the power of silence and beauty."
Program:
16:00 | INspired Concert
An intimate program where old and new worlds intersect.
17:30 | Interview: Vladimir Godár
20:15 | Marathon Vladimir Godár
The evening is entirely devoted to the oeuvre of Vladimir Godár.
Concert 26 januari 2026 14:15
Muziekgebouw, Amsterdam
The young Dutch Animato Kwartet is making international headlines thanks to the musicians’ inspired playing. This afternoon, together with Khorshid Dadbeh, the quartet performs a brand-new work for string quartet and the ancient string instrument tanbur by Iranian-Dutch composer Aftab Darvishi. The pure harmonies of Monteverdi, Dutilleux’s night music and Golijov’s baroque bass lines frame this newcomer.
The tanbur is a more than a thousand-year-old stringed instrument with deep, historical roots in Iran. The instrument has evolved over the centuries, with variations in design and playing techniques, but it has always remained a symbol of Iran’s rich musical heritage. Iranian soloist Khorshid Dadbeh is open to experimentation and loves to improvise. This makes her the perfect tanbur player for Darvishi’s new work.
Concert 28 januari 2026 14:15
Muziekgebouw
In the program Future Echoes, past, present and future come together in the form of light and sound. The creators place Schönberg's Second string quartet at the center, and Vinthya Perinpanathan juxtaposes a newly composed piece next to Schönberg's groundbreaking notes. The concept of the 'harmony of the spheres' provides a counterbalance to the relationships between tones and intervals that were seen as ideal, in both music and the cosmos.
Tradition and innovation go hand in hand with the curious creators of Future Echoes. The groundbreaking young soprano Elisabeth Hetherington, winner of the Dutch Music Prize 2024, collaborates in Future Echoes with the ADAM Quartet, composer Vinthya Perinpanathan, and a lighting designer. With her commissioned work, Perinpanathan pays homage to Schönberg's innovation while also reflecting on the evolution of musical expression through the centuries.
Concert 30 januari 2026 08:30
Bimhuis, Amsterdam
A first: the Norwegian Engegård Quartet and the North Sea String Quartet from the Netherlands together on one stage! The North Sea String Quartet's greatest love is improvisation, which will blend with the folk music brought by Engegård. This double string lineup is ideal for translating the complexity of improvisation, folk melodies and their rhythms into an intimate and refined context. Traditional Norwegian melodies and the organic play of the North Sea String Quartet will merge into a colorful whole.
The Engegård Quartet has its roots in the Lofoten, the stunning Norwegian archipelago where the silence is only interrupted by the wind always howling around the mountaintops. The contrast of this vast landscape with the bustling port city of Rotterdam, the home base of the North Sea String Quartet where various cultures converge and an international hotspot of modern architecture, can only leave its mark on the collaboration of both quartets.
Masterclass 30 januari 2026 09:00 - 1 februari 2026
From January 30th to February 1st, 2026, the NSKA welcomes the versatile musician Shunske Sato for an inspiring masterclass.
Shunske Sato is a violinist who effortlessly moves between solo playing and leading ensembles, both on baroque violin and modern violin. In addition, he is active as a conductor of instrumental as well as vocal ensembles.
His musical approach is deeply inspired by historically informed performance practice from all style periods. For Sato, the performance parameters from the past are an essential starting point to bring music to life in a lively way. He is particularly engaged in groundbreaking research on performance practices from the 19th century, and regularly gives lectures and workshops on this subject.
Concert 30 januari 2026 20:15
De Vereeniging
It is perhaps the most beloved string quartet of all time: Schubert's Death and the Maiden. From the exciting opening to the passionate finale, everything about the piece is equally beautiful. The renowned Dudok Quartet also performs a colorful mix of Saariaho and their own arrangements of Liszt, Gesualdo, and Mussorgsky.
The Dudok Quartet is more than just a string quartet. They share with the audience their connection to the pieces, they made a podcast, everything to dive even deeper into the music. With the audience, because Dudok's starting point is that only then the music comes to life in a unique way
Concert 2 februari 2026 10:00
Voorlindem Museum
Young talent pays tribute to classical masters every first Monday morning of the month; that is the concept of Voorlinden Klassiek. Every month, young musical talents perform a special classical composition in the museum's auditorium.
Concert 5 februari 2026 20:15 - 6 februari 2026
Muziekgebouw
The Animato Quartet plays with flair, courage, and an infectious drive for innovation. In this special collaboration, the musicians meet the Iranian musician Khorshid Dadbeh, master of the tanbur - a Persian string instrument with a warm, expressive sound. What follows is a musical journey that transcends the boundaries of style, culture, and time.
Khorshid Dadbeh excels in combining the power of tradition with improvisation and innovation like no other. Her playing adds an extra dimension to the music: raw and subdued, playful and profound. In dialogue with the Animato Quartet, a story unfolds that needs no words, only sound, rhythm, and breath.
Especially for the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam 2026, the Iranian-Dutch composer Aftab Darvishi composed the piece When the sky burns red. It is inspired by a sunset in Rotterdam, the city where she recently moved to. The piece will have its world premiere in January 2026 in Amsterdam. On February 5th, the wonderful acoustics of the old church will give these sounds their full splendor.
Program:
Claudio Monteverdi
Sfogava con le stelle
Darà la notte il sol
Henri Dutilleux
Ainsi la nuit
Aftab Darvishi
When the sky burns red
Osvaldo Golijov
Tenebrae
This special program - from the dramatic expression of Monteverdi and the layered sound textures of Dutilleux, through the deeply personal tone of the young Iranian-Dutch composer Aftab Darvishi to the inspired rhythms of Golijov - merges the sounds of the Western string quartet and the Persian tanbur into a rich palette of colors and textures.
This concert is not a classical performance in the traditional sense, but a musical encounter full of layers, surprises, and contrasts. For those open to the unknown and willing to be taken on a journey off the beaten path. You can watch a preview via the link below.
Concert 8 februari 2026 15:30
Amstelkerk, Amsterdam
Enjoy Matangi Moments, an atmospheric concert where the sublime world of the string quartet is explored in a surprising way.
Enjoy Matangi Moments, a series of atmospheric concerts where the sublime world of the string quartet is explored in a surprising way by Matangi, one of the most prominent and versatile ensembles in the Netherlands.
Melancholic beauty and emotion come together in the program Baltic Souls. The music tells stories of contemplative reflection, inner struggles, and the infinite power of nature through composers such as Arvo Pärt (Estonia), Pēteris Vasks (Latvia), and Jean Sibelius (Finland).
Program:
Arvo Pärt Fratres
Pēteris Vasks String Quartet No. 4
Jean Sibelius Voces Intimae
Masterclass 14 februari 2026 09:00 - 17 februari 2026
From February 14th to 17th, 2026, NSKA welcomes John Myerscough and Ying Xue of the internationally renowned Doric String Quartet for a special masterclass.
The Doric String Quartet is known for its elegant and intimate approach to both the classical repertoire and contemporary music. Their deep musical integrity and thoughtful interpretations have earned them a loyal audience worldwide. The quartet has performed integral cycles of composers such as Haydn, Mendelssohn, Britten, and Bartók in prestigious venues such as the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, the Wiener Konzerthaus, and the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. Currently, they are focusing on Beethoven, with an ongoing recording project with the Chandos label. The first part, released in 2023, was praised by The Times as 'a joy'. The series will be completed in 2026-2027, in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the composer's death.
Their musical precision and historical awareness are also evident in their use of specially crafted historical-style bows for repertoire from Haydn to Mendelssohn. While they are renowned for their refined performances of the classical quartet repertoire, they are also actively involved in contemporary music. They perform works by composers such as Thomas Adès, Andrea Tarrodi, Peter Maxwell Davies, and Donnacha Dennehy. In 2019, they premiered Brett Dean's Third String Quartet, specially composed for them and commissioned by Musica Viva Australia, Carnegie Hall, the Edinburgh Festival, Konzerthaus Berlin, the String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam, and the West Cork Chamber Music Festival.
The curiosity and flexibility of the Doric String Quartet are reflected in an impressive discography of over 20 recordings for Chandos, their exclusive label since 2010, featuring repertoire from Purcell to John Adams. They are regular guests at Snape Maltings and Wigmore Hall in London, where they were the first ensemble to perform for a live audience after the lockdown. Each year they tour the United States and biennially to Japan, with performances at venues including Suntory Hall in Tokyo.
Keizersgracht 241
1016 EA Amsterdam
info@nska.nl
