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