2016 Prizes + Winners

Posted on 
June 18, 2015

The Rolston String Quartet, First Prize Laureates of the 12th Banff International String Quartet Competition, after the award ceremony on September 4, 2016.

Congratulations to our 2016 BISQC Laureates: 

Rolston String Quartet 

  • 1st Prize Laureates 
  • Esterházy Foundation Prize 
  • Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance Prize 

Tesla Quartet 

  • 2nd Prize Laureates 
  • The R.S. Williams & Sons Haydn Prize 
  • Canadian Commission Prize, in honour of the R.S. Williams & Sons Company 

Castalian String Quartet 

  • 3rd Prize Laureates

1st Prize Laureates

One quartet will be awarded a custom-designed, three-year artistic and career development program worth over $150,000 which includes:

  • $25,000 cash prize
  • Winner’s Concert Tours in career-building markets in Europe and North America, arranged by Banff Centre
  • A two-week residency at Banff Centre including the production of a disc, recorded and produced by Banff Centre’s Music program, as well as coaching and mentoring opportunities with established artists.

2nd Prize Laureates

  • $12,000 cash prize
  • A fully funded creative residency at Banff Centre’s Music program including coaching and mentoring opportunities with established artists, a $15,000 value

3rd Prize Laureates

  • $8,000 cash prize
  • A fully funded creative residency at Banff Centre’s Music program including coaching and mentoring opportunities with established artists, a $15,000 value

Esterházy Foundation Prize

  • Recital in Haydn Hall and the Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt (Austria), for the First Prize Laureates. Prize includes artist fee and travel expenses.

Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance Prize

  • The Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance is proud to offer a fully funded, four-week residency to the winning quartet of BISQC 2016. Overlooking the UNESCO World Heritage District at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and the stunning Atlantic Ocean, LAMP provides the successful quartet the opportunity to work and perform with its distinguished faculty, to create and present broad community outreach programming, and to perform in its 1895 concert hall, a $18,600 value.

The R.S. Williams & Sons Haydn Prize

  • $3,000 for the best performance of a Haydn quartet from Round 1.

Canadian Commission Prize, in honour of the R.S. Williams & Sons Company

  • $3,000 for the best performance in Round 3 of the new commissioned quartet by a Canadian composer.

Career Development Awards

  • Upon completion of the first four rounds of BISQC, all quartets not selected to the final round of the competition will receive a career development award of $4,000.00.
All prizes are in Canadian dollars, and are subject to relevant Canadian government withholding taxes.

Winner's Tour & Career Development 

Laureates of the Banff International String Quartet Competition are offered one of the most generous career development packages among international chamber music competitions. Concert touring, new music commissioning funds, residency activity as well as publicity and communications support are offered.

Members of the Cecilia String Quartet, First Prize Laureates of the 10th Banff International String Quartet Competition, reflect on the impact BISQC has had on their career.