Danish violinist Peter Andreas Nielsen completes the quartet’s lineup and will formally commence the role in early 2027
The New Zealand String Quartet (NZSQ) has announced the appointment of Danish violinist Peter Andreas Nielsen as its first violinist. Nielsen’s appointment completes the ensemble’s full lineup of musicians following the arrival of cellist Martin Smith earlier this year, joining second violinist Peter Clark and founding member, violist Gillian Ansell.
Nielsen and Smith’s appointments fill the vacancies left by former long-standing members, Helene Pohl and Rolf Gjelsten, who left the ensemble in 2024.
’I am very grateful and humbled to join the New Zealand String Quartet and to get to work with these great people,’ said Nielsen.
’When I first met Gill, Peter and Martin, I was struck by our immediate chemistry and how easily we were able to play together. It all made sense. I firmly believe that everyone deserves the chance to listen to the wonderful string quartet repertoire, so I’m looking forward to sharing this beautiful music with audiences all over gorgeous Aotearoa.’
’Peter Andreas impressed us not only with his exceptional musicianship, but with his collaborative spirit, curiosity and commitment to chamber music,’ said Ansell. ’We’re very excited about this next chapter for the NZSQ.’
Nielsen will formally commence his role in early 2027, marking the quartet’s 40th anniversary. His arrival will also coincide with the reopening of Wellington Town Hall Te Whare Whakarauika and the establishment of the National Music Centre, where the NZSQ will be actively involved through its partnership with the New Zealand School of Music-Te Kōkī.
Currently based in Copenhagen, Nielsen studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Music with Serguei Azizian and Tim Frederiksen, and at the Manhattan School of Music with Nicholas Mann.
He completed his Advance Postgraduate Diploma (Soloist class) in 2022 under the guidance of Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider and Peter Herresthal, and has also undertaken chamber music studies with members of the Juilliard and Tokyo string quartets.
He is co-founder and artistic director of the Danish chamber music festival, Kammermusik i Præstø. From 2020 to 2022 he also served as assistant to Peter Herresthal at the Royal Danish Academy of Music.
Nielsen performs on a 1770 Lorenzo Storioni violin kindly loaned by the Augustinus Foundation.
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