Violin: Clara Glasdam
Violin: Gustav Ranum
Viola: Kirsten Wilbrandt Kjær
Cello: Oskar Reuben Friis-Hansen

AKELA was formed at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in 2019 and has since, under the guidance of Professor Tim Frederiksen, interpreted the classical string quartet repertoire with presence and curiosity at chamber music festivals, international masterclasses, competitions and concerts at home and abroad.

The four musicians in AKELA are Clara Glasdam and Gustav Ranum on violin, Kirsten Wilbrandt Kjær on viola and Oskar Reuben Friis-Hansen on cello. Before the ensemble was formed, all four members had been playing together interchangeably since childhood, so they share both musical roots and a close friendship. 

AKELA means joy, and joy is precisely a premise for the quartet's ensemble playing. The joy of music, the joy of creating, the joy of giving.

The quartet strives towards being a caring and inspiring ensemble and has arranged and played concerts of very different character – from school concerts with singing and storytelling, concerts in some of the biggest concert halls in Denmark and side-by-side concerts with music students, to nursing home concerts during the corona-lockdown in Denmark. 

AKELA distinguished itself in '21 by winning first prize in the ENKOR International Chamber Music Competition and in '22 by winning second prize in the LFN International Chamber Music Competition. Furthermore the quartet has participated in several masterclasses with teachers such as Hatto Beyerle (Alban Berg Quartet), Johannes Meissl (Artis Quartet) and the Danish String Quartet. In '22 the quartet was selected to be part of Le Dimore del Quartetto - an international network supporting young international string quartets in their careers.