The cellist Henrik Brendstrup was born in Denmark and trained in Copenhagen with Erling B. Bengtsson and in London with William Pleeth and Ralph Kirshbaum. He is one of the few Nordic musicians who has received both the French music prize Diapason dOr and the GermanDeutsche Schallplattenpreis the former for his recording of cello works by Chopin and Liszt, the latter as a member of the Danish String Quartet for the ensemble's recording of all Hindemith's string quartets. Henrik Brendstrup has performed as soloist and chamber musician in most of Europe, and has played with most of the Danish orchestras.

For several years he has taught cello at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. As a dedicated interpreter of the music of our time, he has premiered a large number of works, and his recording of the Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina's music has been particularly well received by the European music press. Henrik Brendstrup is a member of The Chamber Orchestra of Europe, and with this outstanding ensemble he tours the world playing under conductors like Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Claudio Abbado. He is a frequent guest at important international chamber music festivals, such as Lockenhaus, Risør and Prussia Cove. In 1996 he received the Danish Music Critics' Artist's Prize.