Music that moves you

The acclaimed NZ String Quartet is currently touring the United States’ East Coast. Formed 20 years ago, the Wellington-based group consists of cellist Rolf Gjelsten, first violinist Helene Pohl, violinist Douglas Beilman and violist Gillian Ansell. Pohl and Beilman were born in the US and Gjelsten in Canada; co-founder Ansell is the only NZ-born member. Gjelsten explains why he joined the group in 1994, and became a citizen three years later, in an interview with the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. “The music of this medium is so profound they wanted to find musicians who would dedicate themselves to this music,” he said. “A bonus is that it happened to be New Zealand – one of the most beautiful countries in the world that most people would move to without a job.”