The Hansa Quartet
was formed in 1987 by musicians from the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. The current members of the quartet are Åsta Jørgensen and Hilary Foster (violins), Helga Steen (viola), and Walter Heim (cello).

The Hansa Quartet plays most of the classical string quartet repertoire as well as all genres of contemporary music. Norwegian music has a central place in the quartet’s work. It has given a large number of concerts of Edvard Grieg’s music at Troldhaugen and of Harald Sæverud’s music at Siljustøl – often as part of the Bergen International Festival. In 1997 the Hansa Quartet released the first complete recording of Sæverud’s three string quartets (PSC1141).

The quartet has worked in close collaboration with several composers, and this has resulted in a CD with works by Kenneth Sivertsen, Sverre Bergh and Ketil Hvoslef (VNP2002-0057). The quartet has also performed Hvoslef ’s music for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation’s TV production of “Peer Gynt” (1994) and premiered his guitar quintet (2004).

During the first decade of the present century the Hansa Quartet has been closely involved with Fartein Valen’s works. Bjarne Kortsen, musicologist and biographer of Valen, has been a source of knowledge and inspiration to the members of the quartet in this project – a project which, while very demanding, has given them an everdeepening understanding of, and love for, Valen’s music. This is something they wish to share with their listeners.

Hilde Haraldsen Sveen - Soprano
graduated from the Berlin University of the Arts (Hochschule der Künste) in1994. Since then, she has held principal roles in a number of European opera houses. She debuted in 2001 as Gilda at The Norwegian Opera and has since then had several leading roles there. Her versatility has made her a popular singer for oratorios, concerts and romances. She has recorded several CD-albums with Norwegian music and currently teaches voice at the Grieg Academy, University of Bergen.