CoCo puts forgotten Nordic composers on the world stage

Concerto Copenhagen is on a mission to rewrite the Baroque canon, reviving long-forgotten Scandinavian composers and taking their music from Copenhagen to audiences worldwide. In an exclusive video interview with The European’s Juliette Foster, CoCo’s managing director Nikolaj de Fine Licht explains how

For most music lovers, the Baroque and Classical canon begins and ends in central Europe, with Bach, Handel, Mozart and Beethoven. Yet one of Scandinavia’s leading orchestras is redrawing that map by reviving long-forgotten Nordic composers and bringing their music to audiences across the world.

Concerto Copenhagen, founded in 1991 and led since 1999 by harpsichordist-conductor Lars Ulrik Mortensen, has built a global reputation for historically informed performance. Now, under managing director Nikolaj de Fine Licht, it is pursuing a long-term strategy to restore 17th–19th century Scandinavian composers to international prominence.

“We know the central European music history… but this music also travelled north, met certain traditions or mindsets, and developed into languages that are specific,” de Fine Licht told The European this week.

This focus has already produced striking results. The orchestra’s interpretation of Niels W. Gade’s cantata Elverskud became a revelation for Danish audiences who thought they knew the piece, showing how fresh perspectives can transform even a national classic.

From Copenhagen, this rediscovered repertoire has travelled far: CoCo has toured the United States, Japan, Brazil, Australia and China, while partnerships with Danish Radio and the European Broadcasting Union have beamed live concerts to millions.

 In Beijing, Mortensen was mobbed by fans carrying stacks of CDs — proof that a 17th-century Danish composer can connect with audiences on the other side of the world.

But how do you balance cultural mission with financial realities, especially when touring costs are climbing and concert halls play safe with familiar works? And what does it take to persuade audiences to embrace the unknown?

In our full video interview, de Fine Licht shares the thinking behind CoCo’s artistic direction, the role of guest collaborators, and why he believes Nordic voices deserve a permanent place in the global Baroque conversation.

Watch the full conversation with Concerto Copenhagen’s Nikolaj de Fine Licht here.