Media Release

For immediate release
September 26, 2008
High resolution images available

St. Lawrence String Quartet celebrates 20th anniversary
at The Banff Centre October 2

Thursday, October 2 • 7:30 p.m.
Rolston Recital Hall • The Banff Centre
Adult $18, Senior, Student and Child $16, Playbill Special $17
Banff Centre Box Office: 1-800-413-8368 or 403-762-6301
Presented as part of the 2008 Playbill Series

The St. Lawrence String Quartet (SLSQ), formed 20 years ago at The Banff Centre, returns to Banff for a special anniversary performance in the Rolston Recital Hall on October 2. In honour of their distinguished history together, violinists Geoff Nuttall and Scott St. John, violist Lesley Robertson, and cellist Christopher Costanza will be joined by original members, violist and violinist Barry Shiffman, now director of music programs at The Banff Centre, and cellist Marina Hoover — who left the quartet in 2006 and 2002 respectively. The quartet will perform Dvorák's Sextet in A, Op. 48, Strauss's String Sextet from Capriccio, Op. 85, and Haydn's String Quartet, Op. 77, No. 2.

Canada’s premiere string quartet, the SLSQ has an international following and is recognized as one of the world-class chamber ensembles of its generation. In 1992 they won both the Banff International String Quartet Competition and the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, leading to a performing career of more than 2,000 concerts.  Their recordings have won a Juno Award, two Grammy nominations, and the German critics’ award, the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik.

Over the last two decades the SLSQ has held residencies at the Juilliard School, Yale University, The University of Toronto, and University of Hartford. Since 1998 they have held the position of Ensemble in Residence at Stanford University. The quartet has become a regular fixture at some of North America’s most esteemed music festivals, including Mostly Mozart, the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, Bay Chamber Concerts, and Spoleto USA.  Internationally they have performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum, the Kennedy Center, London’s Wigmore Hall, Royal Concertgebouw Hall in Amsterdam, Theatre de Ville Paris, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, and at the White House for President Bill Clinton and guests.