The Rothko String Quartet (RSQ), comprising Marc Kopitzki (viola), Jakob Nierenz (cello), Joosten Ellée (violin) and William Overcash (violin), was founded in Lüneburg in 2017. The two violinists specialised in both early and contemporary music during their studies, which gives the ensemble a high degree of flexibility in exploring different styles and enables a diverse range of concert programmes. The RSQ is committed to bringing the music of marginalised composers to the fore and shedding light on lesser-known works from classical music history.

The collaborative spirit of the four musicians shapes not only their work with contemporary composers and artists from various disciplines, but also their attitude towards one another during rehearsals. In addition to performing newly composed music, the RSQ is interested in breaking down the boundaries between (musical) genres and collaborates with producers, composers and improvisers, as well as visual artists. These have included Mirna Bogdanovic and the Holon Trio (jazz), Sadie Weis (visual arts), dOP (techno), Tian Gao (dance) and inti figgis-vizueta (joint album Music for Transitions, 2026).

Together with the PODIUM Esslingen festival, the RSQ creates innovative concert programmes with which it goes on tour. The ensemble performs regularly at the Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele and the Düsseldorf Festival! and made successful debuts last year at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, the Thüringer Bachwochen and the Mozartfest Würzburg. In 2025, they continued their journey with a first US tour and appeared at the Schlossfestspielen Ettlingen (SWR), the Fratopia Festival at the Alte Oper Frankfurt and the Rockenhausen Festival of New Music.