The People Behind Lydenskab
Lydenskab is a classical ensemble — and much more than that.
We are musicians, composers, and artists working at the intersection of music, community, and change.
We believe that art can create new spaces for insight, belonging, and conversation. And that’s exactly what we do — together.
Since 2012, Lydenskab has specialized in creating engaging art projects through artistic co-creation. We listen to the cities, nature, inequalities, the young, the old, the busy, and the reflective, crafting new, experimental music and performing arts that speak to the life we live today. Lydenskab makes classical music an active part of society, while, together with the people we involve, leaving a mark on the world we live in.
.jpg)
Ensemble
Our ensemble consists of classical musicians with strong individual artistic identities and a shared desire to push the boundaries of what classical music can be today.
Sofia Lind Pedersen
Cellist and Ensemble & Project Leader
Sofia graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus (Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium) and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Canada, making her solo debut in 2010. She has performed with several of Denmark’s symphony orchestras and ensembles. Sofia has also explored other genres, including as a member of the jazz group Cordelia.
She teaches at Aarhus Music School and MGKØ. As a musician, Sofia is driven by curiosity and seeks to create new communities through music.
Laura Bowler
Vocalist and composer
Laura is a composer, vocalist, and artistic director specializing in theater, multidisciplinary work, and opera. She is a professor of composition at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and a lecturer in composition at the Royal Northern College of Music. Laura is also a resident composer at Manchester Camerata and has composed works for high-profile ensembles and orchestras worldwide.
Thea Vesti Pedersen
Guitarist and Ensemble & Project Leader
Thea is a solo-trained classical guitarist, educated at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus (Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium) and Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona. She has furthered her studies in arts and cultural management at the Performing Arts Development Center and works with cultural leadership at Lydenskab. Thea teaches artistic entrepreneurship at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus and is also a permanent member of the Danish Guitar Quartet. She is a co-founder of Lydenskab and thrives on collaboration across genres and art forms.
Mads Uldall
Double Bassist, Sound Designer, and Producer
Mads is classically trained in double bass from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus (Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium). He has performed with several symphony orchestras, theaters, and ensembles, spanning genres from classical to country, Americana to avant-garde. Mads works as a musician in Lydenskab and has also developed an impressive mobile sound studio, which he uses to record Lydenskab’s music.
Louise Gorm
.jpg)
Violinist and Ensemble & Project Leader
Louise graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus (Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium) and the Universität der Künste in Berlin. She later debuted from the soloist class at Malmö Academy of Music in 2017 as a soloist with the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra. Louise forms the duo KFVLG with soprano Katinka Fogh Vindelev. Her repertoire spans broadly from Baroque music to contemporary experimental music, and she is constantly seeking new ways to communicate and engage musically with society. She holds an MBA in Arts Innovation from the Global Leaders Institute.
Karolina Leedo
Flutist and Project Leader
Karolina Leedo graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus (Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium) with additional training at the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana. Born in Estonia, Karolina has lived in Denmark since 2001. She performs worldwide as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player and also appears at Danish and international festivals. Karolina is a co-founder of Lydenskab and Snow Mask. She has a strong passion for new music and frequently collaborates with contemporary composers on the development of new works.
Henriette Jensen
Saxophonist
Henriette holds a soloist degree from the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus (Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium). She is a member of the Jutlandia Saxophone Quartet, Aiolos Sax and Organ Duo, Calisto Trio, Duo Plus, and the international Melisma Saxophone Quartet. In addition to performing as a soloist and chamber musician both nationally and internationally, Henriette also teaches saxophone at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus.
Maria Eshpai
Pianist
Maria Eshpai comes from an artistic family in Moscow, Russia. She studied under Professor Irina Osipova at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow and completed her studies in the soloist class at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus (Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium). Maria is a member of Duo Plus, Granhøj Dance Company, and Scandinavian Chamber Soloists. She performs in concerts and competitions both nationally and internationally and has won 1st prize at the “International Piano Festival NLPS” in London. In addition to her work as a soloist and chamber musician, Maria also teaches at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus and Aalborg School of Culture.
Carola Schaal
Clarinetist
Carola is from Tübingen, Germany, and has studied in Darmstadt, Düsseldorf, and completed her studies at the University of Music and Theatre Hamburg. She is a co-founder of Decoder, a Hamburg-based new music ensemble. Carola maintains a close artistic collaboration with choreographer and dramaturge Heinrich Horwitz, reflected in her solo project "Bonny Crude." She combines new music with performative elements, exploring the boundaries between music, instrument, and body.
Artistic and Executive Direction
Open, attentive, and regenerative leadership, with artistic curiosity and collaboration at the core.
The artistic direction and daily operations of Lydenskab are managed by a leadership team consisting of three of the ensemble’s own members: Thea Vesti Pedersen, Louise Gorm, and Sofia Lind Pedersen.
Backed by strong leadership training, they bring extensive experience and expertise to their roles. The leadership team is responsible for both the artistic direction and the daily administration, as well as the association’s internal and external communication. They oversee artistic development, planning and execution of projects and concerts, and the overall management of the organization.
For financial support, an external accountant, Kathrine Kihm, is affiliated to ensure accurate bookkeeping and financial oversight. Additionally, an annual audit is conducted to guarantee transparency and financial accountability.
Board of Directors
Lydenskab’s board brings together visionary forces from art, leadership, and innovation. The members contribute experience from international music, creative research, entrepreneurship, and cultural management, strengthening the ensemble’s development and anchoring in both artistic and societal contexts.
Partners & Co-Creators
We collaborate with a wide range of artists, researchers, facilitators, and local actors—both in large-scale productions and participatory projects. Among others:
Teatret Svalegangen, Aktionsuniversitetet, Handletanken for Lokal Bærekraft, Vida Local, Copenhagen Opera Festival, Bæredygtigt Kulturliv NU, AUT Aarhus Unge Tonekunstnere, Hatch Ideas/Five Cowries (UK/NG), Opera på Grænsen, Aarhus Vand, Region Midt, Socialpsykiatrien, Sønderparken, Regionspsykiatrien Randers
Frydenlund Fælleshus, Levende Musik i Skolen, Teatret S/H
Juliana Hodkinson, komponist, Gerd Laugesen, forfatter, Katie Mitchell, instruktør, Laura Bowler, komponist, Peter Laugesen, forfatter, Steingrimur Rohloff, komponist, Line Tjørnhøj, komponist, Martin Hall, forfatter, Esther Wrobel, ariel performer, Lin Liao, dirigent, Jude Christian, instruktør, Sam Redway, librettist, Marie Brolin-Tani, koreograf, Laura Rathschau, scenograf, Ursula Andkjær Olsen, forfatter, Morten Grove, kontratenor
Kristina Holgersen, komponist og sanger, Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen, performancekunstner, Andrea Pellegrini, operasanger, Anders Kjems, lysdesigner, Katinka Fogh Vindelev, sopran, Birgitte Alsted, komponist, Sandra Boss, komponist, Louise Alenius, komponist, Christoffer Brekne, videokunstner, Ard Jongsma, fotograf / filmkunstner, Ulla Bendixen og Martin Døssing Ottosen, musikere, Rikke Frigast, instruktør, Siff Vintersol, skuespiller, Dy Plambeck, forfatter, Claus Handberg, forfatter, Gorm Askjær, komponist, Johan klint Sandberg, instruktør, Kirstine Fogh Vindelev, komponist