Uusi Helsinki Quartet

Petri Aarnio – violin
Taija Angervo – violin
Ilari Angervo – viola
Tuomas Lehto – cello

The Uusi Helsinki Quartet was established in 1982. Just two years later, the quartet won both the Viitasaari Quartet Competition and the Concertino Praga Competition in Prague. These victories served as a springboard for the young ensemble's career. In April 1994, the Uusi Helsinki Quartet achieved second place in the London International String Quartet Competition. They were also honored with the audience prize and the award for the best performance of a commissioned work. In 1997, the quartet received the Nuori Suomi (Young Finland) Award.

Successful visits to venues such as London's Wigmore Hall and numerous international festivals have solidified the quartet's position in the global music scene. The quartet has performed in prestigious concert halls, including the Berlin Konzerthaus, Zurich Tonhalle, and Amsterdam Concertgebouw. Regular tours have taken them to Belgium, the Netherlands, Greece, Germany, and England. In addition to Europe, the quartet has appeared in Japan, the United States, and Australia.

The Uusi Helsinki Quartet has released two recordings on the Finlandia Records label. Their debut album, released in 1997, includes both of Leoš Janáček's string quartets and excerpts from Antonín Dvořák's series Cypresses. In 1998, recordings of Jean Sibelius and Edvard Grieg's string quartets were published. The quartet has also recorded with clarinetist Kari Kriikku for the Ondine label. The Uusi Helsinki Quartet has participated in numerous radio and television recordings in Europe and Japan.