Karelia Quartet
Lineup
About the Event
The Karelia Quartet explores music shaped by place, identity and tradition. Works by Peter Sculthorpe and Lotta Wennäkoski sit alongside masterpieces by Mozart and Grieg, creating a programme rich in atmosphere, lyricism and discovery.
For this programme, the Karelia Quartet were drawn to the way each work creates its own distinctive sense of place and voice.
In their words: ‘Peter Sculthorpe’s String Quartet No. 8 holds a special resonance for us, with two Australian members in the ensemble and a composer whose music evokes a profound connection to landscape and atmosphere. Lotta Wennäkoski’s Culla d’aria reflects another strand of the quartet’s identity: with two Finnish members, we are delighted to share the work of one of Finland’s most distinctive contemporary voices, whose shimmering textures seem to breathe and evolve in the air. Framing these works are two masterpieces of the quartet repertoire: Mozart’s String Quartet in D Major K.575, with its elegance, warmth and subtle invention, and Grieg’s first String Quartet, a work of extraordinary passion, lyricism and dramatic sweep. The programme moves between familiar masterpieces and contemporary perspectives, with each work shedding new light on the others.’
This event will last for approximately 90 minutes with an interval.
About Karelia Quartet
Formed at the Royal Academy of Music in 2024, the Karelia Quartet has quickly established itself as one of the UK’s most exciting young chamber ensembles. Comprising violinists Emil Hartikainen and Megan Yang, violist Felix Pascoe and cellist Daniel Schultz, the quartet has earned major competition success, including First Prize at the Nina Drucker String Quartet Competition and the Historical Women’s Composer Competition in 2025. They were recently selected as Kirckman Concert Society Artists for the 2026–27 season and as participants in the international MERITAcubed programme.
The quartet has performed for His Majesty King Charles III at St James’s Palace and appeared at festivals and academies across Europe, including the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival and the Danish String Quartet Academy. Mentored by leading chamber musicians including Alex Redington, Robin Wilson and Sini Simonen, the ensemble continues to build an international reputation through performances, collaborations and residencies across the UK and Europe