2026

Schackenborg
Musikfest

August 7-9

ARTISTS

ARTISTS 2026

Nicholas Daniel, Oboe

Valdemar Wenzel Most, Piano

Frank Reinecke, Double Bass

TRIO BOCCHERINI:
Suyeon Kang, Violin
Vicki Powell, Viola
Paolo Bonomini, cello

THE DANISH CLARINET TRIO:
Tommaso Lonquich, Clarinet
Jonathan Slaatto, Cello
Martin Qvist Hansen, Piano

PACIFIC QUINTET:
Aliya Vodovozova, Flute
Fernando Martinez Zavala, Oboe
Liana Leßmann, Clarinet
Kenichi Furuya, Bassoon
Pablo Neva Collazo, Horn

CONCERTS 2026

Friday, August 7th

19:30 @ Schackenborg Castle

Schackenborg 1, Møgeltønder

'Romantic Canons:

Youth and Swansong'

Nicholas Daniel, oboe

Trio Boccherini:

Suyeon Kang, violin
Vicki Powell, viola
Paolo Bonomini, cello

The Danish Clarinet Trio:

Tommaso Lonquich, clarinet

Jonathan Slaatto, cello

Martin Qvist Hansen, piano

Schumann, Studien in kanonischer Form, op. 56, arr. for oboe, cello and piano
Beethoven, String Trio in E♭ major, Op. 3
----------------------
Saint-Saëns, Oboe Sonata in D major, Op. 166
Schumann, Piano Quartet in E♭ major, Op. 47

Journey through the Romantic era in this evocative program that spans more than a century of musical evolution, from Beethoven's youthful fire to Saint-Saëns's twilight reflections. Joined by acclaimed oboist Nicholas Daniel, Trio Boccherini and The Danish Clarinet Trio explore works that trace the arc of Romantic chamber music—from rigorous contrapuntal studies to passionate quartets, and from dramatic trios to a master's final utterance.
The evening opens with Schumann's Studien in kanonischer Form, Op. 56, originally conceived as pedagogical sketches for pedal piano but here reimagined for oboe, cello, and piano. These six miniatures display Schumann's fascination with Bach's contrapuntal mastery, transforming strict canonic form into intimate, lyrical conversations.

Beethoven's String Trio Op. 3, composed when he was just twenty-four, was his first foray into the string trio medium. Modeled after Mozart's celebrated Divertimento in the same key, this expansive six-movement work showcases the young composer's ambition and Classical elegance while hinting at the innovative voice to come.

After the interval, Saint-Saëns's Oboe Sonata in D major, Op. 166, completed just months before his death in 1921, is the last of three wind sonatas from his final year. Far from elegiac, the work brims with clarity, grace, and unexpected playfulness—a lifetime of musical wisdom distilled into crystalline expression.
The program culminates with Schumann's Piano Quartet in E♭ major, Op. 47, composed in 1842 during his extraordinary "chamber music year." The work overflows with melodic invention and harmonic daring in Beethoven's heroic key of E♭, from the expansive opening through the passionate scherzo and tender slow movement to the jubilant finale.

Nicholas Daniel
Nicholas Daniel OBE has long been acknowledged as one of the world's great oboists. Winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition at age 18, he has significantly enlarged the repertoire for his instrument with the commissioning of hundreds of new works. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded the Queen's Medal for Music in 2012, an OBE in 2020, and the Cobbett Medal for Chamber Music in 2022. A founder member of the Britten Sinfonia, he combines his solo career with conducting.

Trio Boccherini

Formed in Berlin, the ensemble is celebrated for its luminous blend, interpretive daring, and the rare sense of three musical personalities breathing as one. The trio has performed at major venues across Europe and North America, including the Heidelberger Frühling Festival, Konserthuset Stockholm, and debuts in New York City and Cleveland in 2026, with recordings on GENUIN Classics and BIS Labels.

Saturday, August 8th
10:30 @ Møgeltønder Church
Sønderbyvej 2, Møgeltønder

'TIMELESS VARIATIONS'

Nicholas Daniel, oboe

Trio Boccherini:

Suyeon Kang, violin
Vicki Powell, viola
Paolo Bonomini, cello

Musgrave, Cantilena for oboe and string trio

Bach, Goldberg Variations arr. for String Trio by Dmitry Sitkovetsky

In the historic setting of Møgeltønder Church, architectural elements from the Middle Ages and Baroque era are accompanied by a repertoire spanning the same periods up to our own time. This extraordinary program bridges three centuries of musical thought, from Bach's supreme contrapuntal masterwork to a contemporary meditation on song, all unfolding within walls that have witnessed centuries of musical devotion.

The concert opens with Thea Musgrave's Cantilena (2008) for oboe and string trio, written specifically for our guest Nicholas Daniel. At ninety-seven, the Scottish composer remains a vibrant creative force, and we are delighted to feature several of her works throughout this year's festival in celebration of a major woman composer who is also a dear friend of Nicholas Daniel. The Cantilena lives up to its title—Italian for "a singing melody"—weaving an expressive dialogue between the oboe and strings that balances tender introspection with vibrant exchanges. Musgrave's distinctive voice brings a modern sensibility while honoring the chamber music tradition, her writing perfectly calibrated to Daniel's lyrical artistry.

Bach's Goldberg Variations, originally written for harpsichord in 1741, receives new life in Dmitry Sitkovetsky's masterly arrangement for string trio. This transcription reveals the architectural beauty of Bach's variations in vivid color, as interwoven lines emerge with fresh clarity across violin, viola, and cello. From the serene Aria through thirty ingenious variations—some playful, others profound—to the Aria's return, the work traces an extraordinary journey of transformation. Sitkovetsky's version has become a cornerstone of the string trio repertoire, praised for respecting Bach's contrapuntal integrity while fully exploiting the expressive possibilities of string instruments.

Nicholas Daniel
Nicholas Daniel OBE has long been acknowledged as one of the world's great oboists. Winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition at age 18, he has significantly enlarged the repertoire for his instrument with the commissioning of hundreds of new works. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded the Queen's Medal for Music in 2012, an OBE in 2020, and the Cobbett Medal for Chamber Music in 2022. A founder member of the Britten Sinfonia, he combines his solo career with conducting.

Trio Boccherini
Formed in Berlin, the ensemble is celebrated for its luminous blend, interpretive daring, and the rare sense of three musical personalities breathing as one. The trio has performed at major venues across Europe and North America, including the Heidelberger Frühling Festival, Konserthuset Stockholm, and debuts in New York City and Cleveland in 2026, with recordings on GENUIN Classics and BIS Labels.

Saturday, August 8th
14:30 @ Schackenborg Castle
Schackenborg 1, Møgeltønder

RISING STARS:

'Winds and Keys'

Valdemar Wenzel Most, piano

Martin Qvist Hansen, piano

Pacific Quintet:

Aliya Vodovozova, flute
Fernando Martinez Zavala, oboe
Liana Leßmann, clarinet
Kenichi Furuya, bassoon
Pablo Neva Collazo, horn

Beethoven, Quintet in E-flat for Piano and Winds, Op. 16
TBD, Solo Piano Works TBD
Poulenc, Sextet for Piano and Winds, FP 100

This captivating program traces the evolution of the piano and wind quintet from Classical refinement to twentieth-century sophistication. Spanning more than a century, the works reveal how composers harnessed the distinctive timbral blend of piano and winds—from Beethoven's elegant chamber dialogue to Poulenc's irrepressible wit and charm.
The afternoon opens with Beethoven's Quintet in E-flat for Piano and Winds, Op. 16, composed in 1796 when the young virtuoso was establishing himself in Vienna. Modeled after Mozart's celebrated quintet in the same key, Beethoven's work combines Classical poise with his own emerging dramatic voice. The E-flat tonality lends the piece a warm, heroic character, while the interplay between piano and winds showcases Beethoven's gift for balancing brilliance and intimacy.

[Solo piano works to be announced]

Poulenc's Sextet for Piano and Winds, FP 100, composed in 1932-39, brings the sparkling energy of Parisian modernism. Written for the same instrumental combination as Beethoven's quintet with the addition of a flute, Poulenc's sextet overflows with melodic invention, rhythmic vitality, and unexpected harmonic twists. From the ebullient opening movement through the tender, nostalgic Divertissement to the exuberant finale, the work captures Poulenc's distinctive blend of sophistication and playfulness.

Pacific Quintet

2nd prize at the Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition and 2nd prize and audience award winners of the international ARD competition 2024, Pacific Quintet is a Berlin-based wind quintet founded in 2017. The five musicians met at the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan, founded by Leonard Bernstein, and decided to carry Bernstein's spirit to Europe. Their members hail from Japan, Honduras, South Korea, Germany and Ukraine/Turkey.

Valdemar Wenzel Most
At just 19 years old, Valdemar Wenzel Most is rapidly ascending towards the stars of the international piano scene, recently named P2 Talent of the Year 2025. At the Aarhus International Piano Competition 2023, he was awarded 2nd Prize and the Carl Nielsen Prize. He is currently studying with Kirill Gerstein at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin.

Martin Qvist Hansen
Danish pianist Martin Qvist Hansen is a member of Ensemble MidtVest, The Danish Clarinet Trio and founder-member of Trio Ondine, with whom he has won prizes at competitions including ARD Munich, Melbourne, and the Haydn Competition in Vienna. He has performed at venues such as Wigmore Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the Vienna Konzerthaus. He is co-founder and co-Artistic Director of Schackenborg Musikfest.

Saturday, August 8th

19:30 @ Schackenborg Castle

Schackenborg 1, Møgeltønder

'Conversations in two and four'

Nicholas Daniel, oboe

Trio Boccherini:

Suyeon Kang, violin
Vicki Powell, viola
Paolo Bonomini, cello

The Danish Clarinet Trio:

Tommaso Lonquich, clarinet

Jonathan Slaatto, cello

Martin Qvist Hansen, piano

Members of the Pacific Quintet:

Fernando Martinez Zavala, oboe
Liana Leßmann, clarinet

Musgrave, Take Two Oboes, for two oboes
Crusell, Clarinet Quartet in E-flat Major, op. 2, nr. 1
----------------------

Poulenc, Sonata for Two Clarinets FP 7
Mozart, Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, K. 478

This imaginative program explores the art of musical conversation through duos and quartets, celebrating works that span from Mozart's Classical elegance to Musgrave's contemporary voice. Throughout the evening, instruments pair off and recombine in ever-changing dialogues—two oboes, two clarinets, clarinet and strings, piano and strings—revealing how chamber music creates intimacy through conversation.

The evening opens with Thea Musgrave's Take Two Oboes, written specifically for Nicholas Daniel. This light-hearted set explores technical opportunities and challenges inherent in the oboe, with advice from performers who are also experienced teachers. The four movements—Pompous, Expressive, Serene, and Frisky—showcase the playful interplay between two identical voices, each taking turns leading and following in a spirited musical exchange.

Bernhard Crusell's Clarinet Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 2, composed around 1803, represents the Finnish-Swedish virtuoso's first exploration of this intimate chamber combination. Written in pure eighteenth-century style and strongly influenced by Mozart, the work treats the clarinet as a solo instrument while maintaining careful balance with the strings. It was this quartet which, when he heard it in about 1814, inspired Glinka to become a composer.

As Glinka himself recalled in his memoirs: "when I was ten they played a clarinet quartet by Crusell. The music produced an incomprehensible, new, and delightful impression upon me. I remained for the whole day in a sort of feverish condition… I was thinking all the time only of music and decided that music is my soul."

After the interval, Poulenc's Sonata for Two Clarinets, FP 7, composed in 1918 during his military service, brings youthful exuberance and harmonic wit. The work is unusual in that it is written for B♭ clarinet, which generally plays the melodic themes, and A clarinet, which plays a more supporting role. In just six minutes, Poulenc packs remarkable inventiveness, including the unusual device of having the clarinetists perform different time signatures simultaneously in the opening movement.

The program culminates with Mozart's Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, K. 478, composed in 1785 when Mozart was pioneering this new genre. G minor is a key that Mozart reserved for his most turbulent musical ideas, and the opening gesture of this quartet is a stentorian pronouncement that yields to gentler themes in constant harmonic flux. The dialogues and contrapuntal interplay between keyboard and strings are in the spirit of true chamber music, and the work has become one of Mozart's most beloved chamber masterpieces.

Nicholas Daniel

Nicholas Daniel OBE has long been acknowledged as one of the world's great oboists. Winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition at age 18, he has significantly enlarged the repertoire for his instrument with the commissioning of hundreds of new works. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded the Queen's Medal for Music in 2012, an OBE in 2020, and the Cobbett Medal for Chamber Music in 2022. A founder member of the Britten Sinfonia, he combines his solo career with conducting and serves as Music Director of the Leicester International Music Festival.

Trio Boccherini

Formed in Berlin, the ensemble is celebrated for its luminous blend, interpretive daring, and the rare sense of three musical personalities breathing as one. The trio has performed at major venues across Europe and North America, including the Heidelberger Frühling Festival, Konserthuset Stockholm, and debuts in New York City and Cleveland in 2026, with recordings on GENUIN Classics and BIS Labels.

Fernando Martínez Zavala
Honduran oboist Fernando Martínez Zavala studied with Marlon Herrera, Dudu Carmel, and Nick Deutsch at institutions including the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Leipzig and the Buchmann Mehta School of Music. He is currently oboist with the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker.

Liana Leßmann
Born in 1994, German clarinetist Liana Leßmann is sought after as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra player, with performances at venues including the Berlin Philharmonie and Suntory Hall Tokyo. She is currently Principal Clarinetist of the Stuttgarter Philharmoniker and Professor in Leipzig.

Sunday, August 9th
10:30 @ Schackenborg Castle
Schackenborg 1, Møgeltønder

'NIELSEN AT SCHACKENBORG:
A WALKING HISTORY TOUR'

Pacific Quintet:
Aliya Vodovozova, flute
Fernando Martinez Zavala, oboe
Liana Leßmann, clarinet
Kenichi Furuya, bassoon
Pablo Neva Collazo, horn

Nielsen, Wind Quintet op. 43

A new feature presented for the first time at this 6th edition of Schackenborg Musikfest—experience history and music intertwined as you explore the storied grounds of Schackenborg Castle. This unique morning event combines a guided tour through centuries of Danish heritage with live performances of Carl Nielsen's Wind Quintet, with movements unfolding at various locations throughout your journey.

As you walk through the castle's historic chambers and gardens—spaces that have witnessed everything from medieval origins to Baroque transformations—the Pacific Quintet will bring Nielsen's masterpiece to life in the very landscape that embodies Denmark's cultural legacy. Composed in 1922, the Wind Quintet is considered a staple of the repertoire and one of Nielsen's most widely performed works. Nielsen was very fond of wind instruments as part of his fascination with nature and living, breathing things, writing that "each instrument is like a person who sleeps, whom I have to wake to life".

As architecture and landscape reveal the passage of time, so too does Nielsen's music speak to the enduring character of Danish artistry. Join us for this unprecedented fusion of place, history, and sound—a morning where every step tells a story and every note resonates with the spirit of Denmark.

Pacific Quintet
2nd prize at the Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition and 2nd prize and audience award winners of the international ARD competition 2024, Pacific Quintet is a Berlin-based wind quintet founded in 2017. The five musicians met at the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan, founded by Leonard Bernstein, and decided to carry Bernstein's spirit to Europe. Their members hail from Japan, Honduras, South Korea, Germany and Ukraine/Turkey.

Sunday, August 9th
14:00 @ Schackenborg Castle
Schackenborg 1, Møgeltønder

'That damned thing!

I wish it were burned!'

Nicholas Daniel, oboe

Tommaso Lonquich, clarinet

Jonathan Slaatto, cello

Frank Reinecke, double bass

Trio Boccherini:

Suyeon Kang, violin
Vicki Powell, viola
Paolo Bonomini, cello

Members of the Pacific Quintet:

Aliya Vodovozova, flute

Liana Leßmann, clarinet

Kenichi Furuya, bassoon

Pablo Neva Collazo, horn

Musgrave, Impromptu no. 1 for flute and oboe
Barrière, Sonata in G major for cello and double bass
Mozart, Oboe Quartet in F major, K. 370/368b
----------------------
Beethoven, Septet in E-flat major, Op. 20

"That damned thing! I wish it were burned!" was Beethoven's exasperated response when an English visitor told him how much the Septet Op. 20 was admired in London. Despite—or perhaps because of—being one of his most popular works during his lifetime, the composer grew to resent this charming piece for overshadowing what he considered his greater achievements. At the auction of Beethoven's possessions after his death, the Septet manuscript fetched 18 florins while his Missa solemnis sold for only 7, a final ironic testament to the public's enduring affection for this "damned thing."

This delightful musical feast features eleven festival artists and explores the art of musical conversation through works spanning over two centuries, from Baroque virtuosity to Classical charm, with a contemporary touchstone. The evening traces an evolution from intimate duo dialogues to the festive sociability of Beethoven's most popular chamber work.

The afternoon opens with Thea Musgrave's Impromptu No. 1 for flute and oboe, written in 1967. A short, light-hearted work based on a distinctive opening phrase that returns throughout at different pitches, always with fresh continuation. Musgrave's playful dialogue between two woodwinds sets the tone for an evening of instrumental conversation.
Jean-Baptiste Barrière's Sonata in G major for cello and double bass comes from his Livre IV, published around 1740. Barrière became one of the greatest French cello virtuosos during a period when the cello was gaining popularity over the viol in France. In this vibrant work, originally conceived for two cellos, the instruments engage in dynamic dialogue, sharing melodic lines with equal prominence.
Mozart's Oboe Quartet in F major, K. 370, composed in early 1781 in Munich, was written for Friedrich Ramm, principal oboist in the Bavarian Elector's orchestra. The work includes a Rondo finale with a remarkable polyrhythmic passage where the oboe plays in 4/4 time against the strings' 6/8 accompaniment.

After the interval, Beethoven's Septet in E-flat major, Op. 20, the work that inspired our title. Composed in 1799-1800 and premiered at Vienna's Burgtheater in April 1800, it became an immediate sensation. Modeled on Mozart's serenades and divertimentos, the six-movement work combines Classical elegance with innovative scoring for three wind instruments alongside four strings. Though Beethoven grew tired of its overshadowing his "greater" works, the Septet remains arguably the finest work ever written for this ensemble—and history has proven the public right to love it.

Nicholas Daniel

Nicholas Daniel OBE has long been acknowledged as one of the world's great oboists. Winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition at age 18, he has significantly enlarged the repertoire for his instrument with the commissioning of hundreds of new works. In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded the Queen's Medal for Music in 2012, an OBE in 2020, and the Cobbett Medal for Chamber Music in 2022. A founder member of the Britten Sinfonia, he combines his solo career with conducting and serves as Music Director of the Leicester International Music Festival.

Trio Boccherini

Formed in Berlin, the ensemble is celebrated for its luminous blend, interpretive daring, and the rare sense of three musical personalities breathing as one. The trio has performed at major venues across Europe and North America, including the Heidelberger Frühling Festival, Konserthuset Stockholm, and debuts in New York City and Cleveland in 2026, with recordings on GENUIN Classics and BIS Labels.

Tommaso Lonquich
Acclaimed by reviewers as a "formidable clarinetist" and praised for his "passion, sumptuous tone, magical finesse and dazzling virtuosity," Tommaso Lonquich is an Artist of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in New York and has served as Solo Clarinetist with Denmark-based Ensemble MidtVest. He has appeared on the most renowned stages of five continents including Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Suntory Hall. Parallel to his musical career, he is a practicing psychoanalyst and founder of the International Center for Lacanian Psychoanalysis (ICLP) in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Jonathan Slaatto
Solo Cellist of the Odense Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Slaatto is a prize-winner at competitions including ARD Munich, Melbourne International Music Competition, and the Joseph Haydn Competition in Vienna. As a member of Trio Ondine, he has performed at venues such as Wigmore Hall, Berlin Konzerthaus, and the Aldeburgh Festival. He is co-founder and Artistic Co-Director of Schackenborg Musikfest.

Aliya Vodovozova

Born in Ukraine and raised in Turkey, flutist Aliya Vodovozova has won top prizes in competitions including 2nd prize at the Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition with the Pacific Quintet. She has performed at major venues including the Berlin Philharmonie, Suntory Hall Tokyo, and has participated in Daniel Hope's recording for Deutsche Grammophon.

Liana Leßmann

Born in 1994, German clarinetist Liana Leßmann is sought after as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestra player, with performances at venues including the Berlin Philharmonie and Suntory Hall Tokyo. She is currently Principal Clarinetist of the Stuttgarter Philharmoniker.

Kenichi Furuya

Japanese bassoonist Kenichi Furuya graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts and the Zurich University of the Arts' Soloist Course with unanimous full marks. He served as a member of the Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic between 2019 and 2021, participating in performances including the orchestra's tour of Japan.

Pablo Neva Collazo

Spanish hornist Pablo Neva Collazo, from Galicia, began playing horn at age six and gained early experience in the region's popular brass bands. He is currently Solo Horn of the Staatsorchester Stuttgart, a position he won in 2022.

Frank Reinecke

Born in Hamburg in 1960, double bassist Frank Reinecke studied with Klaus Stoll in Berlin and joined the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in 1983. He taught as an honorary professor at the Mozarteum Salzburg and is a specialist in contemporary music, having premiered numerous solo and chamber works. He is a founding member of Duo Slaatto Reinecke and has recorded extensively, including albums of solo contemporary works on the Neos label.

CONCERTS

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Special offer in collaboration with Løgumkloster Refugium

This very special offer includes:

accommodation and breakfast at Løgumkloster Refugium
a festival pass valid for the entire festival (six events)
afternoon coffee and cake
a two-course dinner on the day of arrival
the opportunity to participate in morning and evening singing in the atmospheric settings of Løgumkloster Church and the historic Chapter Hall

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ABOUT THE FESTIVAL

Schackenborg Musikfest is a world-class chamber music festival held in the historic border region between Denmark and Germany, in the beautiful surroundings of Schackenborg Castle and the village of Møgeltønder.

Praised by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung for the energy, artistic quality, and bold “Viking-spirited” vision of its artistic direction, the festival brings together leading artists from Denmark, Germany, and across Europe.

Launched in 2021, the festival has already welcomed thousands of audience members and more than forty distinguished guest artists, including Christian Tetzlaff, Nicolas Altstaedt, Alexander Lonquich, Mojca Erdmann, Anneleen Lenaerts, Lea Desandre, Thomas Dunford, and the Vertavo and Van Kuijk quartets.

The 2026 edition will feature 6 events, 11 composers and over a dozen artists, including the celebrated oboist Nicholas Daniel, one of Britain's most distinguished musicians and recipient of the Queen's Medal for Music.

The Berlin-based Trio Boccherini, fresh from their US tour debut and preparing for their New York and Cleveland debuts, will bring their luminous blend and interpretive daring to multiple concerts.

For the very first time, the festival will host a double bassist, Hamburg-born Frank Reinecke of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Our artistic directors, the members of the Danish Clarinet Trio, will be joining these exceptional guests across all concerts in this celebration of chamber music from Baroque to contemporary.

The development of exceptional young talent is a priority for the Danish Clarinet Trio: the Musikfest promotes the most vibrant Danish/German/Nordic talents through its "Rising Stars" program, which creates collaborations with established artists. Past "Rising Stars" include Jonathan Swensen, Michael Germer, Nicholas Algot Swensen, David Munk Nielsen, Gustav Piekut, Anna Agafia, Jonas Frølund, Alva Holm, Trio Orelon and the NOVO Quartet.

The 2026 edition will feature pianist Valdemar Wenzel Most and the Pacific Quintet. The latter will perform throughout the festival, including a special Walking History Tour through Schackenborg Castle's grounds.

Valdemar Wenzel Most

At just 19 years old, Valdemar Wenzel Most is rapidly ascending towards the stars of the international piano scene, recently named P2 Talent of the Year 2025. At the Aarhus International Piano Competition 2023, he was awarded 2nd Prize and the Carl Nielsen Prize. He is currently studying with Kirill Gerstein at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin.

Pacific Quintet

2nd prize at the Carl Nielsen International Chamber Music Competition and 2nd prize and audience award winners of the international ARD competition 2024, Pacific Quintet is a Berlin-based wind quintet founded in 2017. The five musicians met at the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan, founded by Leonard Bernstein, and decided to carry Bernstein's spirit to Europe. Their members hail from Japan, Honduras, South Korea, Germany and Ukraine/Turkey.

Concerts take place in three venues:

1) the castle's elegant Entrance Hall, where a long and exciting history comes to life;

2) Møgeltønder Church, one of Denmark's most beautiful, offering excellent acoustics and the country’s oldest organ;

3) the peaceful Castle park and the castle grounds (as part of the historic walk on Sunday morning).

The festival was founded by artistic directors Martin Qvist Hansen, Tommaso Lonquich and Jonathan Slaatto, members of The Danish Clarinet Trio. It is run in collaboration with the management of the Schackenborg Foundation.

THE DANISH CLARINET TRIO
Artistic Leadership

Tommaso Lonquich – Clarinet
Jonathan Slaatto – Cello
Martin Qvist Hansen - Piano

The Danish Clarinet Trio was established in 2016 by three leading chamber musicians in Scandinavia, all current or previous members of world-renowned Ensemble MidtVest. The New York Times has praised their ‘undercurrents of urgency’ and ‘brilliant effects’.

The Trio has recorded for the Danish label Dacapo and has appeared on tours in Canada, Italy, Germany, Iceland, Brazil, the USA, the UK and throughout Scandinavia.

Between them, the Danish Clarinet Trio’s members are laureates of the ARD Competition in Munich, artists of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and the prestigious BBC New Generation Artists scheme.

The ensemble has appeared on BBC, DR, ARD and on most other European radios. With Ensemble MidtVest it has recorded for the German label CPO.

In 2018, the trio was invited to reside at the BBC’s Belfast International Arts Festival as Ensemble-in-Residence.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung has praised the leadership of the Trio at Schackenborg, highlighting the Directors' daring energy as organizers and their depth and top quality on the concert stage.