Established in 2019 under the artistic leadership of the North Sea String Quartet (NSSQ) and Tim Kliphuis, the Academy of Improvising Strings is a haven for string players eager to embark on a journey into the realms of creativity and modern music styles.

As improvising string players active in the Dutch and international music scene, the NSSQ are influenced by classical, world, and folk music. Four creative minds combine their full potential and diverse musical backgrounds, creating a unique sound and having a lot of fun in the process.

The quartet consists of violinists Pablo Rodriguez and George Dumitriu, violist Yanna Pelser, and cellist Thomas van Geelen. Apart from their classical background, they share a passion for folk music from South America, Europe, and Africa, as well as jazz and improvisation. With the use of innovative playing techniques, they manage to translate these musical worlds to the string quartet. They have performed at major festivals and venues both in and outside the Netherlands, such as the Concertgebouw, the Bimhuis, de Doelen, Wonderfeel, and Canarias Jazz & Más.

The academy boasts a passionate team and volunteers. In previous editions, we had the pleasure of hosting guest teachers such as Tim Kliphuis and Jasper LeClerq.