Held every three years on Banff Centre’s campus in Alberta, Canada, the Banff International String Quartet Competition’s grand prize awards the top quartet with residencies, performance opportunities, and a financial award, together worth over $500,000.

Meet the nine competing quartets here!

We caught up with Barry Shiffman, director of the Banff International String Quartet Competition, to learn more about the exciting event!

 

What is the most important lesson you’ve learned after 14 editions of the competition?

My takeaway after all of these years is that the field of classical chamber music is healthy. Young musicians are playing better than at any time in history, extraordinary composers are writing compelling new scores, and with the internet, a vast world of shared content makes this an incredibly exciting time. Chamber music festivals are popping up all over North America and abroad, attracting audiences that are filling seats. It is energizing to be working in an area of growth.

 

What are you most looking forward to in the 15th edition?

I am looking forward to meeting and hearing our wonderful quartets. I already feel a connection to them through their videos, recommendations, and email communications, but now we get to discover these wonderful young artists and welcome them in the uniquely supportive environment of Banff Centre. I also look forward to spending a week working alongside an exceptional jury. Their expertise and integrity form the backbone of this competition, bringing immense credibility to the process. And finally, the BISQC audience. Hundreds of the most passionate, committed, and caring listeners have become a kind of extended family of support. Seeing them embrace our young musicians with such love, respect, and enthusiasm is very special to witness.

 

What do you hope quartets that don’t make it to the final round get out of the competition?

We want quartets to leave inspired, uplifted, and motivated. We have focused a lot of work on the experience of the artist at BISQC and treat each musician as a member of a professional festival. We all sit down at the beginning and discuss what we hope to get out of the competition, and we openly recognize and talk about the uncomfortable reality that only one group will win. Still at BISQC, every quartet has an experience that can be life-changing. There are multiple concerts over the week for each quartet before a sold-out audience. Mark Steinberg, our mentor-in-residence, brings deep insight, offering meaningful support and encouragement to all the quartets. Video assets from the live performances, as well as highly produced music videos by Riddle Films, are all takeaways for the ensembles. And finally, we have the incredible generosity of the Anderson family, through the Christine and David Anderson Career Development Prizes. The $5000 awards are given to each quartet that does not advance to the finals. It is a powerful affirmation that, in this competition, the often-overused phrase “everyone is a winner” truly rings true.

 

How is the repertoire chosen for each round? What range do you hope to see in each quartet?

We try to change the repertoire requirements with each edition of BISQC. I oversee rules and repertoire, shaping the program through conversations with past jury members and consultations with a wide range of colleagues in the field. I like that this competition has increased the space for individual repertoire choices than in the past. We want to see our invited quartets in a wide range of repertoire that reflects the demands of a modern, busy performance career. Haydn always stands out as a marker of capability, and we continue to celebrate Haydn and his impact on the genre. Juxtaposing a Haydn quartet alongside a new work written after January 1, 2000, offers a revealing contrast and creates a fascinating window into each group’s identity. That first round alone tells us so much!

 

How do you select your jury? Who are the 2025 members?

I seek out jury members who are deeply thoughtful musicians, individuals who have dedicated their lives to the string quartet and are fully immersed in its repertoire and traditions. I want young musicians to know they are being heard and considered by a group that loves this repertoire and art form just as they do and has struggled with many of the same challenges. I also look for a jury that represents different regions and has different experiences. This jury includes previous prize winners from BISQC, violists Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt and Marie Chilemme, cellist David Ying, celebrated Emerson Quartet violinist Eugene Drucker, Shanghai Quartet violist (and previous Shanghai Quartet violinist) Honggang Li, Artemis Quartet cellist Eckart Runge, and New Orford Quartet violinist Jonathan Crow. This is a powerhouse jury, rich in experience and marked by deep compassion and respect. It will be a joy to work with these seven artists over an exciting week together in Banff.

 

What stands out to you in your previous winners? Any unifying factor?

We have had a powerful group of winners. Many have had long, successful careers in the chamber music world and have made incredible contributions to performing, teaching, recording, and building community. All of the winners have embraced the rigours of touring and have shown real commitment to bringing their artistry to smaller communities, sharing their love of chamber music and connection. If I were to define in a word a common thread between all of our winners, I would say it is generosity.

 

How do you support your winners after the competition is over?

We work very closely with our winners for three years following the competition. Much of this support is focused on concert touring. To that end, we have engaged the teams at MKI Artists to arrange the touring in North America and Kozertdirektion Hampl to oversee European touring. We also provide considerable financial support to ensure the quartet can focus on the music without worrying about covering the costs of hotels and flights. Touring as a quartet is always a financial challenge, especially at the beginning of a career when those challenges are even more extreme. BISQC arranges for the winning quartet to return to Banff for a creative residency and recording project and presents them as part of our summer Banff International String Quartet Festival. We want our winning quartet to develop the skills necessary for building a sustainable career. To that end, we work closely with them on communication, management, touring logistics, and more. Many successful quartets today are connected to a university through a residency appointment. These roles require a range of skills and the ability to integrate into the fabric of the institution in creative ways. We are so happy to provide our winning quartet the incredible opportunity to be associated with Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where they are named the Peak Fellowship Ensemble-in-Residence. Through this partnership, they receive coaching, mentor younger artists, perform in the community, and engage with the university in meaningful and creative ways. They leave with valuable experience and skills that will support them in securing similar positions in the future.

 

How can people watch the competition this year?

The entire competition will be streaming on The Violin Channel, with all performances archived on the Banff Centre website.