Concert OVIS Quintet

Ovis Kwintet is a Belgian chamber music ensemble with a unique composition of classical guitar and string quartet. The five musicians met at LUCA School of Arts in Leuven, where a shared artistic vision and close friendship formed the basis for their collaboration. The name of the ensemble finds its origin in a familiar scene behind the campus, where the bleating of a herd of sheep resounds in the summer months. This image of connection and origin inspired the name Ovis, Latin for sheep. With their special composition – guitar, two violins, viola, and cello – the Ovis Kwintet explores a broad and versatile repertoire, ranging from intimate classical works to contemporary compositions and quirky arrangements. Their playing is characterized by a fresh, open approach and a strong focus on ensemble playing and timbre. The ensemble first breathed life into its artistic trajectory with a debut concert in De Vischmijn in Antwerp, a moment that marked the beginning of their joint musical story. Daan De Meyer (°2001) is a Belgian cellist, chamber musician, and teacher, studying at LUCA School of Arts. He took lessons from Martijn Vink, Jaap Kruithof, and Geert De Bièvre and participated in masterclasses with, among others, Roel Dieltiens, Pieter Wispelwey, and Justus Grimm. With a special interest in performance practice, he recently played on gut strings and is delving into both historically informed and modern approaches to the repertoire. Daan is active in various chamber music ensembles and orchestras and is the founder of the Linos Cello Kwartet and the Ovis Kwintet. Ananda Gulab (°2002) started violin lessons at the age of 4 with Koen Rens according to the Suzuki method at the Stedelijke Academie in Turnhout. It soon became clear how important music is to her. At the age of 12, she decided to also take piano lessons with Bart Kenis, later with Axel Freier. In 2020, she continued her passion for violin at the LUCA School of Arts in Leuven where she is currently studying her final year of master's with Maximilian Lohse. Ananda enjoys making music together with the Ovis quintet, and she also enthusiastically gains experience in other various string ensembles and orchestras. Renée Poussenier (°2005) started her musical education at the age of four with Wim De Cock according to the Suzuki method. Early on, she showed a great passion and talent for music, which eventually brought her to a laureate diploma at the Stedelijke Academie for Music, Word, and Dance in Lier. She continued her viola studies at LUCA School of Arts in Leuven where she was taught by Marc Tooten. From the 2025–2026 academic year, she continued her education at the Koninklijk Conservatorium van Antwerpen under the guidance of Razvan Popovici. Renée already played in various youth orchestras such as Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen Young and Youth Orchestra Flanders. Lore Schouwenaars (°2004) has had a passion for music from an early age. She started violin lessons at the age of 5 according to the Suzuki method. At twelve, she decided to follow her secondary education at the Kunsthumaniora Brussel where she received violin lessons from Erik Sluys. She continued her studies in 2021 at LUCA School of Arts in Leuven. Here she completed her bachelor's under the guidance of Elisa Kawaguti and continued her master's with Samuel Nemtanu. Besides her studies, she is a co-founder and conductor of the string ensemble La FaMi and gives private lessons within her own practice De OpMaat. Aisling Miller (°2002) started guitar lessons at a young age at the municipal conservatory in Leuven. She soon developed a distinct passion for the instrument. She continued her music education at LUCA School of Arts, where she took lessons from Raphaella Smits and later João Carlos Victor. In the context of her education, she went on Erasmus to the renowned Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien (mdw) in Vienna. Currently, she combines her artistic development with an educational master's degree and passes on her passion for music through teaching. In addition, she cherishes a great love for chamber music and can share this with a wider audience thanks to her commitment to the Ovis quintet.