Media Release
For immediate
release
April 7, 2006
Jury chosen for 2007 Banff International String Quartet Competition
Ten acclaimed musicians, members of some of the top quartets in the world, have been chosen as jurors for the 9th Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC), which will take place August 28 to September 2, 2007, at The Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada.
“BISQC has established a reputation throughout the music world as one of the most prestigious events of its kind,” says Barry Shiffman, The Banff Centre’s new director of music programs and executive director of BISQC. “At the core of this reputation is the credibility that comes from the excellence of our international jury. It has been a joy selecting our jurors for the 2007 competition. All of the jurors accepted the opportunity and responsibility of this important function with enthusiasm, reflecting the high level of respect that both BISQC and The Banff Centre have established.”
Competition jurors for 2007 include Andrew Dawes, formerly of the Orford String Quartet, Henk Guittart of the Shoenberg Quartet, Paul Katz, formerly of the Cleveland Quartet, Lesley Robertson of the St. Lawrence String Quartet, Gerhard Schulz of the Alban Berg Quartet, Simon Standage of the Salomon Quartet, and Jacqueline Thomas of the Brodsky Quartet. The seven jurors will come together for BISQC 2007 to adjudicate a week of concerts before a live audience by the ten selected quartets.
“The jury members have a remarkable combined experience of more than 200 years as quartet players in some of the most celebrated ensembles of our time, and will bring an extraordinary wealth of insight to their important task,” Shiffman adds. “Many of the jurors have a strong connection to The Banff Centre, having been participants, faculty, competitors, or visitors in the past.”
The ten quartets selected to come to Banff for the competition will be chosen from the field of applicants — anonymous recordings are adjudicated by the three-member preliminary jury, which for 2007 is made up of Christopher Costanza of the St. Lawrence String Quartet, Daniel Phillips of the Orion String Quartet, and Heime Müller of the Artemis String Quartet.
Created in 1983 to mark the 50th anniversary of The Banff Centre, BISQC has since become recognized as one of the world’s leading international music competitions, open to quartets of all nationalities whose members are all under the age of 35. Past winners of BISQC include the St. Lawrence String Quartet, the Miró Quartet, the Daedalus Quartet, and the Jupiter String Quartet. BISQC is generously supported by RBC Financial Group.
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More information on the Banff International String Quartet Competition
Media Contact
Jill Sawyer
Media and Communications Officer, The Banff Centre
403.762.6475