Supernova 2026 - Naka Quartet

Every year, Klarafestival, together with other programmers from the classical music world, goes in search of unique and promising chamber music ensembles. For these musicians, the Supernova competition wants to be a springboard. The two laureates win a concert tour through Belgium, with Klarafestival as the first stop. In this concert, you will get to know the Naka Quartet. Het Naka Quartet arose from a shared desire to make chamber music a lively place of dialogue, deep listening readiness and artistic exploration. Naka (中), the Japanese word for "middle", "connection" or "inner", reflects their vision of music as a force that connects, questions and seeks a balance between voices, styles and times. Curious and engaged, the Naka Quartet explores a repertoire that ranges from the great works (Haydn, Beethoven, Mendelssohn...) to contemporary music, with excursions into creation and improvisation. They attach great importance to new music and work together with composers of today, both in Belgium and internationally, including Daniele Bravi, Yves Balmer, Ayumi Nabata, Zihan Wu and Bastien David. Less than a year after their founding, they won the SUPERNOVA competition, while further perfecting themselves under the guidance of renowned chamber musicians and at the invitation of, among others, Quatuor Diotima, the Silesian Quartet, Francesco Filidei and Guy Danel. They invited the ensemble for residencies in the 2025–2026 and 2026–2027 seasons in Brussels, the Arsenal van Metz and Reggio Emilia, in collaboration with the Casa del Quartetto. Het Naka Quartet performs regularly, both in Belgium and abroad. This season they are receiving media attention on Klara and Musiq’3 and performances are planned in Flagey, De Singel, Bozar, the Musée Marmottan Monet, the MIM, the university Paris Diderot and at festivals in France, Italy and Belgium.