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BISQC History

A rich history of chamber music-making in the Canadian Rockies

The competing quartets and juries in 1986

BISQC History

Discover the competing quartets, laureates, jury members and composers who have made the Banff International String Quartet Competition since its founding. 

14th BISQC | 2022

Isidore String Quartet receives first prize at the 14th Banff International String Quartet Competition

August 29 - September 4, 2022 

Laureates 
Isidore String Quartet (USA) 
Opus13 (Norway/Sweden) 
Balourdet Quartet (USA) 

Abeo Quartet (USA) 
Animato Kwartet (The Netherlands/Norway) 
Dior Quartet (Israel/USA/Korea-Canada/St. Lucia) 
Karski Quartet (Poland/Belgium) 
Quatuor Agate (France) 
Terra String Quartet (USA/Venezuela/Iceland/Australia) 

Commissioned Piece 
Dinuk Wijeratne, The Disappearance of Lisa Gherardini 
The Canadian Commission Prize, in honour of the R.S. Williams & Sons Company: Quatuor Agate (France) 

The R.S. Williams & Sons Haydn Prize: Isidore String Quartet (USA) 
Esterházy Foundation Prize: Isidore String Quartet (USA) 
St. Lawrence String Quartet Prize at Stanford University: Isidore String Quartet (USA) 

Competition Jury 
Estelle Choi 
James Ehnes 
Juan-Miguel Hernandez 
Barnabas Kelemen 
Catherine Manson 
Karoly Schranz 
Sung-Won Yang 

Preliminary Jury 
Aaron Boyd 
Andrew Wan 
Andrew Yee

13 BISQC | 2019

Banff International String Quartet Competition 2019 First Prize Winners

August 26 - September 1, 2019 

Laureates 
Marmen Quartet (UK) and Viano String Quartet (Canada/USA) - Southern Methodist University Peak Fellowship Ensemble-in-Residence Prize 
Callisto Quartet (USA) - Creative residency at Banff Centre including coaching and mentorship opportunities 

Eliot Quartett (Canada/Germany/Russia) 
Omer Quartet (USA) 
Quatuor Agate (France) 
Quatuor Elmire (France) 
Ruisi Quartet (UK) 
Ulysses Quartet (Canada/USA/Taiwan) 
Vera Quartet (Spain/USA) 

Commissioned Piece 
Matthew Whittall, Bright Ferment (String Quartet No. 2) 
Canadian Commission Prize in honour of the R.S. Williams & Sons Company: Marmen Quartet (UK) and Viano String Quartet (Canada/USA) 

R.S. Williams & Sons Haydn Prize: Marmen Quartet (UK) 
Esterházy Foundation Prize: Marmen Quartet (UK) and Viano String Quartet (Canada/USA) 
St. Lawrence String Quartet Prize at Stanford University: Marmen Quartet (UK) and Viano String Quartet (Canada/USA) 

Competition Jury 
Gillian Ansell 
Martin Beaver 
Adrian Fung 
David Harrington 
Nobuko Imai 
Phillip Setzer 
Ursula Smith 

Preliminary Jury 
Christopher Costanza 
Jonathan Crow 
Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt

12th BISQC | 2016

Rolston String Quartet, 2016 BISQC 1st Prize Laureates 

August 29 - September 4, 2016 

Laureates 
Rolston String Quartet (Canada) 
Tesla Quartet (Russia/South Korea/USA) 
Castalian String Quartet (UK) 

Aeolus Quartet (USA) 
Argus Quartet (USA) 
Omer Quartet (USA) 
Quartet Arpa (Japan) 
Quartet Berlin-Tokyo (Israel/Japan) 
Ulysses Quartet (Canada/USA/Taiwan) 
Verona Quartet (Canada/USA/Singapore) 

Commissioned Piece 
Zosha Di Castri, String Quartet No. 1 
Canadian Commission Prize, in honour of the R.S. Williams & Sons: Tesla Quartet 

R.S. Williams & Sons Haydn Prize: Tesla Quartet 
Esterházy Foundation Prize: Rolston String Quartet 
Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance Prize: Rolston String Quartet

Competition Jury 
Vera Beths 
Denis Brott 
Isabel Charisius 
Yoshiko Nakura 
Geoff Nuttall 
Peter Salaff 
Alasdair Tait 

Preliminary Jury 
Clive Greensmith 
Douglas McNabney 
Philip Setzer

11th BISQC | 2013

The Dover Quartet, First Prize Laureates of the 11th Banff International String Quartet Competition, after the award ceremony on September 1, 2013.

August 26 - September 1, 2013 

Laureates 
Dover Quartet (USA) 
Quatuor Cavatine (France) 
Navarra Quartet (UK/Ireland/Netherlands) 

Anima Quartet (Russia/China) 
Attacca Quartet (USA) 
Calidore String Quartet (USA/Canada) 
Gemeaux Quartett (Switzerland) 
Linden String Quartet (USA/Canada) 
Noga Quartet (France/Israel) 
Schumann Quartet (Germany) 

Commissioned Piece 
Vivian Fung, String Quartet No. 3 
Canadian Commission Prize: Dover Quartet 

Székely Prize for the performance of a Schubert quartet: Dover Quartet 
R.S. Williams & Sons Haydn Prize: Dover Quartet 
Esterházy Foundation Prize: Dover Quartet 

Competition Jury 
Miguel da Silva, viola (France) 
András Fejér, cello (Hungary) 
Kikuei Ikeda, violin (Japan) 
Nicolas Kitchen, violin (USA) 
Garth Knox, viola (Ireland) 
Richard Lester, cello (UK) 
Scott St. John, violin (Canada) 

Preliminary Jury 
Norman Fischer, cello 
Jerzy Kaplanek, violin 
Roger Tapping, viola

10th BISQC | 2010

August 30 - September 5, 2010 

Laureates 
Cecilia String Quartet (Canada) 
Afiara String Quartet (Canada) 
Quatuor Zaïde (France) 

Amaryllis Quartet (Germany/Switzerland) 
Asasello Quartet (Germany) 
Atrium String Quartet (Russia) 
Hausmann Quartet (USA) 
Noga Quartet (France) 
Peresson Quartet (USA) 

Commissioned Piece 
Ana Sokolovic, Commedia dell'arte 
Canadian Commission Prize: Cecilia String Quartet 

Székely Prize for the performance of a Beethoven or Schubert quartet: Afiara String Quartet 

Competition Jury 
Terrence Helmer, viola (Canada) 
Erich Hobarth, violin (Austria) 
Louise Hopkins, cello (UK) 
Hsin-Yun Huang, viola (Taiwan/USA) 
Joel Krosnick, cello (USA) 
Tim Vogler, violin (Germany)
Timothy Ying, violin (USA/Canada) 

Preliminary Jury 
Denis Brott, cello 
Ian Swensen, violin 
Marka Gustavsson, viola

9th BISQC | 2007

TinAlley Quartet

TinAlley String Quartet: Kristian Winther, Lerida Delbridge, violins; Justin Williams, viola; Michelle Wood, cello

August 28 - September 2, 2007 

Laureates 
TinAlley String Quartet (Australia) 
Zemlinksy Quartet (Czech Republic) 
Ariel Quartet (USA/Israel) 

Tokai Quartet (Canada) 
Afiara String Quartet (Canada) 
Attacca Quartet (USA) 
Koryo String Quartet (USA) 
Rubens Quartet (The Netherlands) 
Rusquartet (Russia) 
Talisker Quartet (Denmark) 

Commissioned Piece 
Kelly Marie Murphy, Dark Energy 
Canadian Commission Prize: Koryo String Quartet (USA) 

Székely Prize for the best performance of a Bartók quartet: Ariel String Quartet 

Competition Jury 
Henk Guittart, viola (The Netherlands) 
Paul Katz, cello (USA) 
Lesley Robertson, cello (Canada) 
Garth Knox, viola (Ireland) 
Mariana Sirbu, violin (Romania) 
Simon Standage, violin (UK) 

Preliminary Jury 
Christopher Costanza, cello 
Heime Muller, violin 
Daniel Phillips, violin

8th BISQC | 2004

Jupiter Quartet

Jupiter Quartet: Nelson Lee, Meg Freivogel, violins; Liz Freivogel, viola; Dan McDonough, cello

August 31 - September 5, 2004 

Laureates 
Jupiter Quartet (USA) 
Ensō Quartet (USA) 
Royal String Quartet (Poland) 

Fry Street Quartet (USA) 
Alma Quartet (France) 
Carmel Quartet (Israel) 
Matangi Quartet (Holland) 
Penguin Quartet (Czech Republic) 
Quince Quartet (United Kingdom) 
Tokai String Quartet (Canada) 

Commissioned Piece / Pièce de concert 
Stewart Grant, String Quartet No. 2, Banff Variations 
Best performance of the pièce de concert: Ensō Quartet Székely 

Prize for the best performance of a Beethoven quartet: Jupiter Quartet 

Competition Jury 
Andrew Dawes, violin (Canada)
Levon Chilingirian, violin (UK) 
Sadao Harada, cello (Japan) 
Philippe Muller, cello (France) 
Barry Shiffman, violin/viola (Canada) 
Sung-Won Yang, cello (South Korea) 

Preliminary Jury 
Martin Beaver, violin 
Keith Harvey, cello 
Jean Sulem, viola

7th BISQC | 2001

Daedalus Quartet

Daedalus Quartet: Min-Young Kim, Kyu-Young Kim, violins; Che-Hung Chen, viola; Raman Ramakrishnan, cello

August 28 - September 2, 2001 

Laureates 
Daedalus Quartet (USA) 
Kuss Quartet (Germany) 
Delancey Quartet (USA) 

Quatuor Satie (France) 
Diabelli String Quartet (Canada) 
Enso Quartet (USA) 
Herold String Quartet (Czech Republic) 
Penguin Quartet (Czech Republic) 
Quartet Excelsior (Japan) 
Quatuor Johannes (France) 

Commissioned Piece / Pièce de concert 
John Estacio, Test Run 
Best performance of the pièce de concert: Daedalus Quartet 

Székely Prize for the best performance of a Beethoven quartet: Daedalus Quartet 

Competition Jury 
Andrew Dawes, violin (Canada) 
Lorand Fenyves, violin (Israel/Canada) 
Keith Harvey, cello (UK) 
Marina Hoover, cello (Canada) 
Josef Kluson, viola (Czech Republic) 
Katherine Murdock, viola (USA) 
Donald Weilerstein, violin (USA) 

Preliminary Jury 
David Takeno, violin 
Wolfgang Laufer, cello 
Jean Sulem, viola

6th BISQC | 1998

Miro Quartet

Miró Quartet: Daniel Ching, Sandy Yamamoto, violins; John Largess, viola; Joshua Gindele, cello; with composer Chan Ka Nin (centre)

August 16 - 22, 1998 

Laureates 
Miró Quartet (USA) 
Castagneri Quartet (France) 
Belcea Quartet (UK) 

Avalon Quartet (USA) 
Amar Quartet (Switzerland) 
Contempo String Quartet (Romania) 
Quatuor Diotima (France) 
Fry Street Quartet (USA) 
Quatuor Johannes (France) 
Quinten Quartet (Russia) 

Commissioned Piece / Pièce de concert 
Chan Ka Nin, String Quartet No. 3 
Best performance of the pièce de concert: Miró Quartet 

Competition Jury 
Andrew Dawes, violin (Canada) 
Stephanie Gonley, violin (UK) 
Bonnie Hampton, cello (USA) 
Geoffrey Nuttall, violin (Canada/USA) 
Christoph Poppen, violin (Germany) 
Dennis Simons, violin (Canada/UK) 
Jean Sulem, viola (France) 

Preliminary Jury 
Lorand Fenyves, violin 
Paul Katz, cello 
David Takeno, violin

5th BISQC | 1995

Amernet Quartet

Amernet Quartet: Kyoko Kashiwagi, Marcia Littley De Arias, violins; Maria Molina, viola; Javier Arias-Flores, cello

August 27 - September, 1995 

Laureates 
Amernet Quartet (USA) 
Everest Quartet (USA) 
Henschel Quartett (Germany) 

Montclaire Quartet (USA) 
Cracovia String Quartet (Poland) 
Eleonora String Quartet (Russia) 
Maia Quartet (USA) 
Minguet Quartett (Germany) 
Quartetto Elisa (Italy) 
Quartetto Foné (Italy) 

Commissioned Piece / Pièce de concert 
Heather Schmidt, Phantoms 
Best performance of the pièce de concert: Henschell Quartett 

Competition Jury 
Andrew Dawes, violin (Canada) 
Rostislav Dubinsky, violin (Russia/USA) 
Břetislav Novotný, violin (Czech Republic) 
Martha Strongin-Katz, viola (USA) 
Gábor Takács-Nagy, violin (Hungary) 
David Takeno, violin (Japan) 
Georges Zeisel (France) 

Preliminary Jury 
Lorand Fenyves, violin 
Sydney Humphreys, violin 
Dennis Simons, violin

4th BISQC | 1992

St. Lawrence String Quartet

St. Lawrence String Quartet: Geoff Nuttall, Barry Shiffman, violins; Lesley Robertson, viola; Marina Hoover, cello

April 19 - 25, 1992 

Laureates 
St. Lawrence String Quartet (Canada) 
Ying Quartet (USA) 
Amati Quartet (Switzerland) 

Mandelring Quartet (Germany) 
Amernet Quartet (USA) 
Artaria Quartet of Boston (USA) 
Quartetto Foné (Italy) – didn’t compete 
Harrington Quartet (USA) 
Quatuor Joachim (France) 
Miami Quartet (USA) 

Commissioned Piece / Pièce de concert 
Marjan Mozetich, Lament in the Trampled Garden 
Best performance of the pièce de concert: St. Lawrence String Quartet 

Competition Jury 
Earl Carlyss, violin (USA) 
Andrew Dawes, violin (Canada) 
Philip De Groote, cello (South Africa/UK) 
Sandor Devich, violin (Hungary) 
Jaroslav Karlovsky, viola (Czech Republic) 
Julie Rosenfeld, violin (USA) 
Milan Škampa, viola (Czech Republic) 

Preliminary Jury 
Lorand Fenyves, violin 
Jaroslav Karlovsky, viola 
Martha Strongin Katz, violin/viola

3rd BISQC | 1989

Quatuor Manfred

Quatuor Manfred: Marie Béreau, Luigi Vecchioni, violins; Alain Pelissier, viola; Christian Wolff, cello

April 2 - 8, 1989 

Laureates 
Quatuor Manfred (France) 
Cassatt Quartet (USA) 
Keller Quartet (Hungary) 

Brindisi Quartet (England) 
Augustine String Quartet (USA) 
Beijing String Quartet (China/ Belgium) 
Ludwig Quartet (France) 
New Zealand String Quartet (New Zealand) 
Sierra String Quartet (USA) 
Westbrook String Quartet (USA) 

Commissioned Piece / Pièce de concert 
Allan Gordon Bell, Arche II 
Best performance of the pièce de concert: Cassatt Quartet 

Competition Jury 
Serge Collot, viola (France) 
Andrew Dawes, violin (Canada) 
Sandor Devich, violin (Hungary) 
Koichiro Harada, violin (Japan) 
Martin Lovett, cello (England) 
Scott Nickrenz, viola (USA) 
Artur Paciorkiewicz, viola (Poland) 

Preliminary Jury 
Zdenek Konicek, cello 
Eugene Lehner, viola 
Gerald Stanick, viola

2nd BISQC | 1986

Franciscan Quartet

Franciscan Quartet: Wendy Sharp, Julie Kim, violins; Marcia Cassidy, viola; Margery Hwang, cello

April 13 - 19, 1986 

Laureates 
Franciscan Quartet (USA) 
Carmina Quartet (Switzerland) 
Lark Quartet (USA) 

Cavani Quartet (USA) 
Amati Quartet (Switzerland)
Coull Quartet (England) 
Debut Quartet (Canada) 
Jagdish Mistry Quartet (England) 
Quatuor Parisii (France) 
Vanbrugh Quartet (England) 

Commissioned Piece / Pièce de concert 
John Hawkins, Three Archetypes 
Best performance of the piéce de concert: Quatuor Parisii (France) 

Competition Jury 
Thomas Brandis, violin (Germany) 
Andrew Dawes, violin (Canada) 
Felix Galimir, violin (Austria) 
Sidney Griller, violin (UK) 
Raphael Hillyer, violin (USA) 
Bretislav Novotny, violin (Czech Republic) 
Jaap Schröder, violin (The Netherlands) 

Preliminary Jury 
Thomas Rolston 
Lorand Fenyves 
Zoltan Szekely

1st BISQC | 1983

Colorado Quartet

Colorado Quartet: Julie Rosenfeld, Deborah Redding, violins; Francesca Martin, viola; Sharon Prater, cello

April 24 - 30, 1983 

Laureates 
Colorado Quartet (USA) 
Hagen Quartet (Austria) 
Lydian Quartet (USA) 

Mendelssohn Quartet (USA) 
Eder Quartet (Hungary) 
Vermillion String Quartet (USA) 
Da Vinci Quartet (USA) 
Manchester Quartet (USA) 
Brodsky String Quartet (UK) 
Harrington Quartet (USA) 

Commissioned Piece / Pièce de concert 
Harry Somers, Movement for String Quartet 
Best performance of the pièce de concert: Lydian Quartet 

Competition Jury 
Ede Banda, cello (Hungary) 
Andrew Dawes, violin (Canada) 
Piero Farulli, viola (Italy) 
Raphael Hillyer, viola (USA) 
Emanuel Hurwitz, violin (UK) 
Mischa Schneider, cello (USA) 

Preliminary Jury 
Thomas Rolston 
Lorand Fenyves 
Zoltan Szekely


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We recognize, with deep respect and gratitude, our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. In the spirit of respect and truth, we honour and acknowledge the Banff area, known as “Minihrpa” (translated in Stoney Nakoda as “the waterfalls”) and the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Goodstoney Nations – as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, and Kainai. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Metis Nation of Alberta, Rockyview District 4. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play here, help us steward this land, and honour and celebrate this place.