Kana Sugimura – violin, Nora Romanoff-Schwarzberg – viola, Martha Bijlsma – cello and Johannes Nies – piano

Renowned for its musically sophisticated and energetic performances, the Flex Ensemble has been delighting audiences across Europe and beyond since 2012. The ensemble’s programmes combine tradition and innovation, ranging from the classical and Romantic repertoire for piano quartets to contemporary works, including new commissions and interdisciplinary collaborations with dance, theatre and the visual arts.

In addition to its intensive focus on the core piano quartet repertoire, the Flex Ensemble continually expands this repertoire by commissioning new works. Its programmes feature world premieres by composers such as Márton Illés, Brigitta Muntendorf, Johannes Schöllhorn, Gordon Kampe, Gérard Pesson, Gordon Williamson, Paul Frehner and Snežana Nešić.

Founded in 2016, the ensemble’s imPULS concert series presents interdisciplinary productions in collaboration with partners such as the Post Theater, farout artistic research (Pamplona) and Third Rail Projects New York, exploring new forms of listening and performance. Music education formats and music theatre projects for young audiences are an integral part of the ensemble’s work.