VI ER TOVE

Tove Ditlevsen’s poems touch on something universal and inviolable — vulnerability, love, loneliness, and courage. With The Copenhagen Trilogy named by The New York Times as one of the 100 best books of the 21st century, her voice is more alive than ever. And now it can be heard — literally.

Three musicians. Twelve poems. One unique experience

VI ER TOVE is a live ensemble that brings Tove Ditlevsen’s poems to life through newly composed music. Not as illustration, but as an art form on equal footing — where poetry and music meet with mutual respect and integrity.

The ensemble consists of three distinctive musical personalities:

Carsten Mørch-Bentzen is a singer and interpreter of texts with a rare ability to convey words with credibility and presence. His voice opens up the poems without overinterpreting them.

David Rosenkilde is a guitarist and composer who has created the music based on the poems’ own rhythms and the musicality of their language. His compositions are precise, open, and musically well-grounded.

Steen Rasmussen is a jazz pianist of international stature whose career encompasses collaborations with world-famous artists and performances on the biggest jazz stages around the globe. He brings depth, nuance, and improvisational freedom to the ensemble.

The music

The sound lies somewhere between folk, poetry, and jazz — simple and precise, allowing the words to come to the fore while the harmonies and arrangements subtly shape mood and tone. It is music that creates an open space, inviting listeners into a dialogue with Tove’s texts.

Proven on stage — ready to tour in 2027

VI ER TOVE has played to full houses at Copenhagen Jazz Festival and the Danish Film Institute, and is performing at the prestigious Lauritzen Prisen award ceremony at Skuespilhuset in late summer 2026. Audiences have responded strongly to the concerts, and the reception has consistently been overwhelming.

VI ER TOVE has received exclusive permission from Tove Ditlevsen’s relatives to record musical settings of 12 selected poems. In 2027, the band will therefore release a full album featuring all 12 songs — on vinyl and digitally — cementing the project as a lasting contribution to Danish cultural heritage.

VI ER TOVE is the unique meeting of Denmark’s most beloved poetic voice and three musicians who dare to let the words lead the way.