BISQC is much more than a music competition! As part of the Resident Audience Packages and BISQC Passport Tickets, the lecture series offers the perfect complement to the performances during competition week.
In 2007 we are thrilled to welcome a series of guest lecturers to the competition.
August 28 and 29
We welcome back John Largess, violist with the Miró Quartet (winners of BISQC 1998) as our first guest lecturer. An enthusiastic and eloquent speaker, John will share his musical insight as both a quartet member and a music aficionado.
August 30
Phillip Ying - president of Chamber Music America, faculty member of the Eastman School of Music, and violist of the Ying Quartet - presents today's lecture. Ying was last at the Banff International String Quartet Competition in 1992 when the Ying Quartet took second place honours.
August 31
Morning lecture: Canadian composer Kelly-Marie Murphy has been co-commissioned by the CBC and The Banff Centre to write a new work for BISQC. On August 31, Kelly-Marie and competition director Barry Shiffman will discuss the relationship between composer and performer, as well as Kelly-Marie’s new piece – just before you hear all 10 quartets perform it!
Evening lecture: Dean of the Juilliard School and artistic advisor for Carnegie Hall from 1998-2006, Ara Guzelimian previously served as artistic administrator of both the Aspen Music Festival and School in Colorado and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Using comparative historic recordings, Ara will bring some perspective to the "historical" quartets of the early part of the century.
September 2
Afternoon lecture I: Competition director Barry Shiffman invites a small group of artist managers and presenters for a discussion on the importance of competitions on emerging careers.
Afternoon lecture II: Closing the lecture series at our farewell reception on September 2, jury member Henk Guittart will give a brief talk on Webern’s Six Bagatelles – a required piece for each of the four finalists about to perform in the Final Round.
The Lecture Series is open to members of the Resident Audience and BISQC Passport Ticket Holders.