The Yggdrasil Quartet emerged as one of the most exciting new string quartets in the 1990s and has become a champion of new quartet music in Europe.
Its members, Frederick Paulsson and Per Öman (the violinists), Robert Westlund (viola), and Per Nyström (cello) studied at the same time at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm. They went on to further studies with Hungarian composer György Kurtag, then in classes in interpretation with Norbert Brainin, the leader of the Amadeus Quartet.
In 1990 the four officially announced themselves as a regular string quartet. They chose the name Yggdrasil, which is the name of the great ash tree at the center of much Nordic mythology. (In Wagner's Ring, it is this tree from which Wotan made his spear and ultimately cuts down and places around Valhalla in preparation for the final conflagration.)
The Yggdrasil Quartet began by entering competitions and gained international notice when the won the London International String Quartet Competition and the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition.WIKIPEDIA
VIDEO: The Yggdrasil Quartet is a world-class group of musicians from Sweden who demonstrate an astonishing technical command and an explosive, attacking style.