Banff International String Quartet Competition

Rules and Regulations

ELIGIBILITY

1. The competition is open to string quartets of all nationalities whose members are under the age of 35 on September 4, 2016.

2. First and second prize winners of any previous Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC) are ineligible to apply.

3. Quartets that have already competed twice in BISQC are ineligible to apply. For the purposes of this rule, a quartet will be considered the same group if 50 percent of the personnel are returning.

APPLICATION PROCESS

4. Application is a two-staged online process. Submitting your application form and fee via The Banff Centre’s portal is STAGE 1. Submitting your support materials via the acceptd online application tool is STAGE 2. All materials must be submitted online:

a) STAGE 1

• I. Online application form
• II. A non-refundable application fee of CAD 200.00. Payment must be made by credit card via The Banff Centre’s Office of the Registrar.

b) STAGE 2

• I. A resume of the quartet’s history including repertoire list and performance history for the period covering January 2014 to December 2015.
• II. A group colour photograph of professional quality in high-resolution format.
• III. A brief description of each member’s training and experience.
• IV. Proof of date of birth for each quartet member (e.g. copy of valid passport or birth certificate).
• V. Two letters of recommendation to be requested directly via the acceptd online application tool (the recommenders will be asked to fill out an online form).
• VI. Three videos* (one per work) recorded after January 1, 2015, containing:

1- Two contrasting movements of a quartet by Franz Joseph Haydn from Opus 20, 33, 50, 64, 76 or 77;

OR

Two contrasting movements from one of the ten celebrated W.A. Mozart quartets (K. 387, K. 421, K. 428, K. 458, K. 464, K. 465, K. 499, K. 575, K, 589, K, 590);

OR

Two contrasting movements from one of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Opus 18 quartets.

2- First movement from a quartet from the romantic or nationalist repertoire of the 19th century, or the Debussy Quartet, Op. 10, or the Ravel Quartet, or the Elgar Quartet, Op. 83, or Sibelius Quartet "Voces intimae", Op. 56*. Quartets by Schubert or Beethoven will not be accepted in this round.

3- A complete quartet from the 20th century, from the following list:

• Béla Bartók: String Quartet No. 1, Sz. 40
• Béla Bartók: String Quartet No. 2, Sz. 67
• Béla Bartók: String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85
• Béla Bartók: String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91
• Béla Bartók: String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102
• Béla Bartók: String Quartet No. 6, Sz. 114
• Alban Berg: Lyric Suite
• Alban Berg: String Quartet, Op. 3
• Benjamin Britten: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 25
• Benjamin Britten: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 36
• Benjamin Britten: String Quartet No. 3, Op. 94
• Henri Dutilleux: Ainsi la nuit
• Alberto Ginastera: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 20
• Alberto Ginastera: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 26
• Paul Hindemith: String Quartet No. 4, Op. 22
• Paul Hindemith: String Quartet No. 5, Op. 32
• Leoš Janáček: String Quartet No. 1, “Kreutzer Sonata”
• Leoš Janáček: String Quartet No. 2, “Intimate Letters”
• György Ligeti: String Quartet No. 1
• György Ligeti: String Quartet No. 2
• Arnold Schoenberg: String Quartet No. 3, Op. 30
• Arnold Schoenberg: String Quartet No. 4, Op. 37
• Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet in F Major, No. 3, Op. 73
• Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet in B flat Major, No. 5, Op. 92
• Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet in E flat Major, No. 9, Op. 117
• Alexander Zemlinsky: String Quartet No. 3, Op. 19
• Alexander Zemlinsky: String Quartet No. 4, Op. 25

* The videos must be of professional quality, shot by a single stationary camera in real time, and must not be edited or altered in any way. You will be required to clearly identify repertoire in the online application portal.  BISQC reserves the right to disqualify studio enhanced or modified recordings, or recordings which are not of professional quality. Physical DVDs or CDs, or digital audio recordings will NOT be accepted. You must use the acceptd online application tool.

5. Online applications, together with all required supporting documents and application fee, must be submitted between the dates of December 1, 2015 and March 1, 2016.

*updated October 12, 2015

SELECTION PROCESS

6. All applications will be pre-screened by BISQC prior to the preliminary jury adjudication process. Any application not meeting the highest standards will not be forwarded to the preliminary jury for consideration. 

7. The preliminary jury members will review the submitted video recordings. No more than 10 quartets will be selected to attend the competition.

8. Quartets chosen to be contestants in the 12th BISQC will be advised by April 15, 2016, by email and phone.

9. The quartets chosen to compete in BISQC are required to be in Banff from Saturday, August 27, 2016 through to Monday, September 5, 2016.

JURY

10. Contestants shall not communicate with jury members during the competition, nor shall any other person communicate with the jury members on behalf of any competitor. Violation of this rule may result in automatic disqualification from the competition.

11. The decisions of the preliminary jury and the competition jury shall be final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the decisions of either group.

COMPETITION REPERTOIRE FORMAT

12. The quartet’s selected repertoire for performance during the competition may include the works presented during the application phase.

13. Each quartet invited to Banff will perform in the first four rounds and if selected, will perform for a fifth time during the Final Round.

14.  The competition format and required repertoire is as follows:

14.1) ROUND 1: Recital

Quartets will perform one complete work from each of the following lists: 

List 1:

• Franz Joseph Haydn:  String Quartet, Op. 20, No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
• Franz Joseph Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 33, No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
• Franz Joseph Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 50, No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
• Franz Joseph Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 64, No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
• Franz Joseph Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 76, No. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
• Franz Joseph Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 77, No. 1 or 2

List 2:

• Béla Bartók: String Quartet No. 1, Sz. 40
• Béla Bartók:  String Quartet No. 2, Sz. 67
• Béla Bartók:  String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85
• Béla Bartók:  String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91
• Béla Bartók:  String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102
• Béla Bartók:  String Quartet No. 6, Sz. 114
• Alban Berg: Lyric Suite
• Alban Berg: String Quartet, Op. 3
• Benjamin Britten: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 25
• Benjamin Britten:  String Quartet No. 2, Op. 36
• Benjamin Britten:  String Quartet No. 3, Op. 94
• Henri Dutilleux: String Quartet Ainsi la nuit
• Alberto Ginastera: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 20
• Alberto Ginastera: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 26
• Paul Hindemith: String Quartet No. 4, Op. 22
• Paul Hindemith: String Quartet No. 5, Op. 32
• Leoš Janáček:  String Quartet No. 1, “Kreutzer Sonata”
• Leoš Janáček: String Quartet No. 2, “Intimate Letters”
• György Ligeti:  String Quartet No. 1
• György Ligeti:  String Quartet No. 2
• Arnold Schoenberg: String Quartet No. 3, Op. 30
• Arnold Schoenberg: String Quartet No. 4, Op. 37
• Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet in F Major, No. 3, Op. 73
• Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet in B flat Major, No. 5, Op. 92
• Dmitri Shostakovich: String Quartet in E flat Major, No. 9, Op. 117
• Alexander Zemlinsky: String Quartet No. 3, Op. 19
• Alexander Zemlinsky: String Quartet No. 4, Op. 25

Ensembles will perform complete works from the lists above in the order of their preference. Ensembles may leave the stage briefly between works.

14.2) ROUND 2:  Romantic

Quartets will perform a complete quartet from the romantic or nationalist repertoire of the 19th century, or the Debussy Quartet, Op. 10, or the Ravel Quartet, or the Elgar Quartet, Op. 83, or Sibelius Quartet "Voces intimae", Op. 56*. Quartets by Schubert or Beethoven will not be accepted in this round.

14.3) ROUND 3: Canadian Commission

Quartets will perform a new quartet of approximately 10 minutes in length by Canadian composer Zosha di Castri. The work will be available to quartets that successfully pass the preliminary screening round and accept the invitation to participate in the 12th BISQC. The work is a co-commission of the Banff International String Quartet Competition, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and Americas Society. Score and parts will be sent to the competing quartets after June 30, 2016.

14.4) ROUND 4: Ad lib

Quartets will perform a selection of work(s) of their own choosing totaling no more than 30 minutes. Individual movements from larger works are allowed. Repertoire can include BISQC’s required repertoire for Round 1, 2 or 3 listed above, though not already performed by the quartet during the competition.

Following the Ad lib Round, the jury will select three ensembles to advance to the fifth and Final Round.

14.5) ROUND 5: Finals

One complete quartet from the following list:

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Opus 59, No. 1, 2, or 3
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Opus 127
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Opus 130 (Competitors may choose as last movement either the Finale: Allegro from Op. 130 or the Grosse Fuge from Op. 133)
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Opus 131
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Opus 132
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Opus 135
• Franz Schubert:String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, D. 810
• Franz Schubert:String Quartet No. 15 in G Major, D. 887

*updated October 12, 2015

15. If accepted to compete in BISQC, competitors will be advised, prior to arrival in Banff, as to which repeats will be accepted and which repeats must be omitted during performances.

16. The works from the repertoire list as stated on the application form will be the repertoire performed during the competition. No other work may be substituted without prior written approval of the BISQC Director.

17. Any quartet that has competed in a previous Banff International String Quartet Competition cannot present any of the same repertoire they performed for the public and jury in any previous BISQC.  

18. Quartets are free to perform standing or sitting in any formation.

19. All performances take place in the Eric Harvie Theatre at The Banff Centre.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

20. BISQC and The Banff Centre will provide the following to all invited quartets:

• 20.1) Return airfare from the quartet’s home base to the Calgary International Airport (including cello seat).
• 20.2) Return ground transportation to The Banff Centre from the Calgary International Airport.
• 20.3) Shared accommodation (two persons per room) at The Banff Centre from Saturday, August 27 to Monday, September 5, 2016 (check-out Monday, September 5, 2016). Single rooms will be provided where shared rooms would be inappropriate.
• 20.4) All meals from Saturday August 27 through Monday, September 5.
• 20.5) A separate rehearsal room for each quartet.

21. Obtaining appropriate travel documents and insurance is the sole responsibility of each competitor. BISQC accepts no liability of any kind whatsoever for any personal illness or injury sustained by the competitor or for loss or damage to a competitor’s belongings, including instrument, during transit or while at the competition.

22. Under no circumstances will a change of personnel between the application process and the end of the competition in Banff be permitted.

23. BISQC has the right, without payment of any fee, to record, videotape, film, broadcast, or photograph any competition concerts or events for any purpose. All rights, including copyright in such media shall vest in and be owned by BISQC in perpetuity.

24. BISQC has the right to produce and distribute without limit or payment of any fee, audio and/or video recordings of all competition concerts or events in whole or in part including the Winner’s Concert Tour

25. The official language of the competition is English.

PRIZES

26.The following prizes shall be awarded:

1st Place 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 The Banff Centre;
• A two-week residency at The Banff Centre including the production of a disc, recorded and produced by The Banff Centre’s Music program, as well as coaching and mentorship opportunities with established artists.

2nd Place Laureates

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

3rd Place Laureates

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

The R.S. Williams & Sons Haydn Prize

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

The R.S. Williams & Sons Canadian Commission Prize

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

27. All quartets accepted into the competition must agree that, if they win first prize, they will perform in the Winner’s Concert Tour arranged for them by BISQC or its designates in Winter 2017, Spring 2017, Fall 2017, and Spring 2018.  Exact concert dates will be available to all accepted quartets on April 15, 2016.

28. BISQC does not retain any fees for its management service in arranging the Winner’s Concert Tour but reserves the right to enter into agreement with other management to secure concert engagements. Concert engagements obtained by BISQC or its designates as part of the first prize will not be subject to any fee payable to the prize-winner’s current or future artist management. In addition, the winning quartet and its current or future artist management agree to give exclusivity within a 100 km radius to Winner’s Concert Tour presenters for the concert season in which the quartet appears.

29. Should a situation arise where the winning quartet cannot procure the necessary travel documents or visas, or cannot fulfill the concert obligations, BISQC retains the right to transfer the winning prize to the runner up or a quartet of its choosing.     

30. Should there be a change in personnel of the winning quartet after the competition, BISQC reserves the right to cancel the winning quartet’s participation in the winner’s career development program, including any future concert performances.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD

31. 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.