Formed under the midnight sun in Lofoten in 2006, the Engegård Quartet rapidly became one of the most sought after ensembles in Norway, performing in Bergen Festival and Oslo Chamber Music Festival in their first season. With an internationally acclaimed debut CD under their belts in 2008, the Engegård Quartet tour Scandinavia regularly and perform throughout Europe.

The great quartets of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Bartók are the Engegård Quartet’s core repertoire. With its’ Nordic background, it is natural for the Engegård Quartet to include Edward Grieg and Arne Norheim in its’ programmes. The Engegård Quartet’s encore repertoire has extended on occasion to fill whole concerts, including virtuosic and folk music, and more than a hint of Argentinian Tango. Guests with the Engegård Quartet have included Leif Ove Andsnes, Frans Helmerson and Nobuko Imai. The Engegård Quartet has released three CDs, and is working on two more.

2011 marks the beginning of a new era for the Engegård Quartet with a new cellist. The members of the quartet are Arvid Engegård, Atle Sponberg, Juliet Jopling and Adrian Brendel .

Arvid Engegård decided at the age of ten, that the string quartet was the ideal medium for making music. Major milestones in his life include an influential period as concertmaster of Camerata Academica in Salzburg under the direction of Sándor Végh, before leading the Orlando Quartet for several years. Arvid is also in considerable demand as a conductor.

Atle Sponberg will be recognised by many from the finals of the European Broadcasting Union competition in 1982. Concertmaster of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Atle is a main figure in Norwegian musical life. Atle also studied tango in Buenos Aires.

While graduating in Economics from Trinity College, Cambridge University, Juliet Jopling returned to her dream of becoming a chamber musician. A prizewinner of the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition, Juliet has appeared as soloist with orchestras including The Philharmonia, London.

Adrian Brendel has quickly established himself as one of the leading cellists of his generation. His recent two year partnership with his father Alfred Brendel, performing all of Beethoven’s music for cello and piano at venues throughout the world was a huge public and critical success. Adrian is co-founder of Music at Plush.

Arvid is the creator and the Artistic Director of Lofoten International Chamber Music Festival, a magnet for chamber music lovers seeking an intimate chamber music experience in spectacular scenery. A regular fixture in the Engegård Quartet’s summer, “the world’s most beautiful festival” is a meeting place for some of the worlds’ best loved chamber musicians.