The Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition, which will be hosted in Copenhagen between April twelve and sixteen, celebrates the music of Carl Nielsen by requiring competing ensembles to carry out his works, among other music. The contest runs two categories, one for string quartets and one for wind quartets. The ed ensembles will carry out at three venues: DR, The Royal Library, and The Royal Danish School of Music. The eight string ensembles to compete this year are as follows: Kleio Quartet (London, England) Absalon String Quartet (Copenhagen, Denmark) Vivace Quartet (China) Quartet Cervin (Rolle, Switzerland) Quartett HANA (Munich, Germany) Neuma Quartet (Poland) NERIDA Quartet (Germany/Switzerland) NOVO Quartet (Copenhagen, Denmark) For the string quartet competition, the first round's set repertoire includes a string quartet by Joseph Haydn (to be chosen either Op. seventy-four, seventy-six, or seventy-seven), as well as the first and second movements a string quartet by Carl Nielsen (to be chosen either Op. five, thirteen, fourteen, or forty-four).

Alongside works by Nielsen, the competitors will also prepare a commissioned work by Gustav Bjerre, titled String Quartet in One Movement — which they'll get one mo before the competition. First Prize carries a cost of €15.000, with the Second and Third prizes worth €10.000 and €5.000 respectively. There is also a €2.500 prize for the best performance of the commissioned work. The jury for the string quartet piece of the contest will be comprised of Clive Greensmith (chair), Berit Cardas, Gunvor Sihm, Sergei Bresler, and Marie Bitlloch. You can read more about the members of each ensemble, here.