Banff International String Quartet Festival

Banff International String Quartet Festival is a three-day festival showcasing the finest in international classical music to audiences through a completely immersive experience.

In 2017, the Banff International String Quartet Festival commenced in non-competition years. Led by Director of the Banff International String Quartet Competition Barry Shiffman, the festival features competition alumni alongside special guests exploring repertoire from across the centuries.

Mark your calendars!

BISQFest 2024 will take place August 30 – September 1. 
 

Upcoming On Sale Dates:

April 24: BISQFest 2023  package holders receive priority access to purchase a package option with the same seats they held in 2023.

May 1: BISQC 2022 package holders receive early access to purchase a package option.  BISQFest 2023 passport and package holders can request new seats on this date.

May 8: Package purchases options open to the public.

June 12: Individual concert ticket purchases open to the public.

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2024 Concert Schedule

Over the span of three days, audience members will be immersed in a concert schedule that features some of the finest quartets of our time. Performances, lectures, and shared meals make BISQfest a music-lover's experience you will never forget. 

Friday, August 30

Friday, August 30 | 2:30pm
Rolston Recital Hall

Concert 1

Cheng² Duo
Jean Sibelius: Romance, Op. 78 No. 2
Edvard Grieg: Sonata for Cello and Piano in A minor, Op. 36
Max Bruch: Kol Nidrei, Op. 47
Dinuk Wijeratne: Portrait of the Imagined Sibling

 

Friday, August 30 | 7:30pm
Jenny Belzberg Theatre

Concert 2

Banff Festival Orchestra
Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenberg Concerto No. 3 in G Major BWV 1038

Ehnes Quartet
Banff Festival Orchestra

Edward Elgar: Introduction and Allegro for Strings, Op. 47

James Ehnes, violin
Barry Shiffman, viola
Banff Festival Orchestra
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante in E flat Major, K. 364 1

Saturday, August 31

Saturday, August 31 | 10:30am
Rolston Recital Hall

Concert 3

Fifty for the Future
Join Kronos Quartet founder, the legendary David Harrington, as he hosts a program of quartets from the project Fifty for the Future. This monumental project of Kronos Quartet created a new catalogue of works for string quartet, from composers around the world. This program features 5 of these amazing works performed by the festival artists.

 

Saturday, August 31 | 2:30pm
Rolston Recital Hall

Concert 4

Israeli Chamber Project
Itamar Zorman, violin
Guy Ben-Ziony, viola
Tibi Cziger, clarinet
Assaff Weisman, piano

Rebecca Clarke: Dumka for violin, viola and piano
Sebastian Currier: Verge for clarinet, violin and piano
Bohuslav Martinů: Three Madrigals for violin and viola, H. 313
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Kegelstatt Trio for clarinet, viola and piano in E flat Major, K. 498

 

Saturday, August 31 | 4:30pm
Margaret Greenham Theatre

Passholder Event – Artist talk with Time’s Echo author Jeremy Eichler

 

Saturday, August 31 | 7:30pm
Rolston Recital Hall

Concert 5

Isidore String Quartet
Ruth Crawford Seeger: String Quartet

Isidore String Quartet
Andy Milne
, piano
Andy Milne: Chimeric Reveries
*world premiere performance*

Isidore String Quartet
James Ehnes, viola
Edward Arron, cello

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Souvenir de Florence for String

Sunday, September 1

Sunday, September 1 | 10:30am
Rolston Recital Hall

Concert 6

Ehnes Quartet
Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59 No. 1
Claude Debussy: String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10

 

Sunday, September 1 | 2:30pm
Rolston Recital Hall

Concert 7

Jeremy Eichler, concert host, author of Time’s Echo, a book on music, war, and memory

Banff Festival Strings
Richard Strauss: Metamorphosen

 

Sunday, September 1 | 4:30pm

Passholder Event – James Ehnes Masterclass

 

Sunday September 1 | 7:30pm
Rolston Recital Hall

Concert 8

Viano Quartet
Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet in C minor, Op. 18 No. 4
Samuel Barber: String Quartet in B minor, Op. 11

Viano Quartet
Adrian Fung, cello
Franz Schubert: String Quintet in C Major, D. 956

Festival Packages and Tickets

With various options to choose from, we make it easy for you to enjoy every note of the Banff International String Quartet Festival by staying on-site in the comfort of Banff Centre's hotels with full amenities.

Festival Packages

  • 3 or 4 night accommodation options
  • All meals in Vistas Dining Room
  • Reserved seating to all performances
  • Access to all special events with premium seating for Jenny Belzberg Theatre
  • Access to special events
  • Use of on-site fitness, aquatic, and recreation facilities
     

Four-Night Package - arrival Thursday, August 29
Solo: $2115.91
Duo: $3168.20

Three-Night Package - arrival Friday, August 30
Solo: $1714.95
Duo: $2632.19

Note: Duo package pricing includes shared accomodation, plus the meals and tickets for two

 

Passport Package (tickets only)

For audience who want to experience it all but do not require accommodation or meals at Banff Centre, the passport option provides reserved seating to performances and access to special events

$523.95

Packages general sales begin May 8
 

Individual Tickets

Individual tickets go on sale in June.

 

All prices are in Canadian Dollars and include all fees and taxes.

Donate

Show your support for young musicians coming to Banff for the next Banff International String Quartet Competition. 

Donate Now

Banff International String Quartet Festival is generously supported by: 

Lead Supporters
Anonymous
Jenny Belzberg Future Fund
Sir Jack Lyons Charitable Trust

Official Media Partner of BISQFest 2024
 

The Violin Channel

Official Shuttle Provider:
 

Banff Airporter

Supported by:

 

 

 

 


Contact Us

For questions please contact:
Email: 
bisqc@banffcentre.ca
Phone: 403.762.6231
Lisa Ramsey, Manager
Jane Russell, Coordinator
107 Tunnel Mountain Drive
Box 1020, Stn. 23
Banff, Alberta
T1L 1H5 Canada