Michala Østergaard trio

In the City Hall Hall, the Michala Østergaard Trio invites the audience into a universe where composed precision and free improvisation are woven together into a musical space full of nerve, presence and poetic power. The trio was established in 2022 by the award-winning Danish drummer and composer Michala Østergaard-Nielsen, and has already made a name for itself as one of the most exciting new ensemble projects in Nordic jazz.

Together with the internationally renowned bassist Thommy Andersson and the legendary American pianist Marilyn Crispell, Østergaard-Nielsen creates an expression where silence, dynamics and intuitive interaction are as important building blocks as melodies and rhythms. Crispell – one of the avant-garde’s most influential pianists – was honored with the NEA Jazz Master Award, the highest jazz award in the United States, in 2025, confirming his position as one of the world’s most transformative voices in modern jazz.

The trio released their debut album “The Cave” in the spring of 2025, which immediately gained international attention and ended up on a number of “Best of” lists. Critics have called the album “one of the most beautiful expanses of eleven minutes ever recorded” (All About Jazz), “a highly attuned communion” (MOJO), and described the music as something that “immediately redraws the codes of the piano trio” (Jazzhalo). Europe Jazz Media highlighted the album’s development as “taking piano trio to a higher level”, while The Free Jazz Blog highlighted “the profound, immersive beauty of The Cave.”

Østergaard-Nielsen’s own words describe the music as follows:
“‘The Cave’ is a deeply personal musical journey into the unknown – a space where sound, silence, and spontaneous interaction shape the narrative.”

This evening in the City Hall Hall, the audience will experience the trio at its most intimate and alive – where the music is not just played, but arises, forms and breathes forth into the room.

For those of you seeking a concert experience with depth, beauty and raw musicality, this is one of the absolute highlights of the year at Moldejazz 2026.