Overwhelmed with emotion, the Rolston String Quartet are named first prize-winners.
BISQC Banff International String Quartet Competition NEWSLETTER 2016
Rolston String Quartet prepares for tour! In the few months following the Rolston String Quartet’s win at the 12th BISQC, it’s become clear for the quartet that their career has taken a major leap in a very exciting direction. “Since the competition, I have been busy working with the BISQC team to co-ordinate the many concert offers that have been pouring in for the competition-winning Rolston String Quartet (RSQ).
Word is out that this quartet is HOT!” says Barry Shiffman, Executive Director of BISQC. “Presenters are approaching us saying ‘we want them.’ Literally, I had trouble keeping up with the phone and email inquiries from presenters following news of their win. It’s been absolutely exhilarating being able to assist in the launching of a career, as that is truly at the core of BISQC’s mission.” Andrew Kwan, the RSQ’s manager for Canada says “In my 25 years as an artist manager in this country, there has not been this level of enthusiasm for a chamber group as there has been in the past two months for the Rolston String Quartet. It is amazing that a young, Canadian ensemble is generating such attention across this country, and abroad. The quartet’s win at BISQC has catapulted their
names to the front of people’s mind. I am sure that they will become a household name in classical music very soon! Of the 15 or so major chamber music festivals throughout Canada, the RSQ will be performing a significant number of them this summer and into summer 2018.” The excitement surrounding the RSQ has gone south of the border as well, and the quartet has been booked to perform at a number of prestigious series including Spoleto Festival USA, La Jolla Music Society SummerFest, and in New York City. The quartet was recently announced winners of Stanford University’s 2016 John Lad Prize, which includes invitations to appear at the Stanford Live season and
The Aeolus Quartet are the first to take the stage for a sound check.
Members of Quartet in the Community perform with juror Geoff Nuttall at “Esterhazy Castle” in Maclab Bistro.
Joel Krosnick, BISQC mentor-in-residence, gives an energetic master class to the students from the BISQC Székely/Rolston Young Musicians Program.
Afiara Quartet and Skratch Bastid present their innovative Spin Cycle concert.
Rolston String Quartet stands to roaring applause after their performance at the Finals.
BISQC Canadian Commission composer Zosha Di Castri recently won a prestigious Koussevitzky Commission.
Vancouver’s Music on Main series, as well as participate in Stanford’s 2017 Emerging String Quartet Program. The quartet was selected as a winner of the Astral Artists 2016 National Auditions and are thrilled to join the roster of musicians past and present whose careers have been supported and guided by Astral. BISQC will be working together with Astral to coordinate the RSQ’s BISQC winner’s tour to a number of major centres in the U.S. in 2017 and 2018. Peter Dobrin of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote of RSQ’s performance at the Astral Artists roster launch concert “the group has both spirit and polish, plus a sophistication at odds with their baby faces ... [They made] the rhythm click into a groove while maintaining a certain looseness, and mastered this balance beautifully.” In Europe, the extremely high calibre of the quartets from past BISQC winner’s tours has laid the groundwork for concert presenters to eagerly book the BISQC winners. The RSQ begins the BISQC winner’s tour, arranged through Konzertdirektion Andrea Hampl, in January 2017 with over a dozen performances throughout Germany. Later in 2017 and in 2018, the European tour will include a number of performances in Italy, France, Netherlands, Austria, England, and Czech Republic. Just last week, the quartet received an invitation to London’s famed Wigmore Hall!
“It’s absolutely a lifelong dream as a Canadian musician to win this competition, it’s beyond anything that we thought could happen” 11th BISQC winners, the Dover Quartet, rehearse with Jon Kimura Parker in preparation for their performance.
2nd Prize Laureates, Tesla Quartet, have new publicity photos by Dario Acosta.
Kronos Quartet’s David Harrington in conversation with Afiara String Quartet’s Adrian Fung
Jeffrey Dyrda, second violin, Rolston String Quartet.
All 10 quartets gather for a group photo of the 12th BISQC. Photo by Meghan Krauss.
BISQC - What’s Next? The BISQC team is busily planning the Rolston String Quartet’s winner’s tour of over 50 concerts in Europe and North America in 2017 and 2018. Music and videos are being compiled for the 12th BISQC CD and DVD — watch your inbox for news of the on-sale date. Updates from the 10 BISQC quartets on what they have been up to since the competition are available on bisqc.ca
“BISQC was an amazing experience. Not to mention Banff itself is a magical place to be, the whole experience of the competition helped us grow as an ensemble ... my special memories lie with the incredible audience members who showed us the true love for chamber music.” Michelle Lie, Tesla Quartet, BISQC 2nd Prize Laureates.
“It was the best experience of my life.” Soren Lorentzen, BISQC Székely/ Rolston Young Musicians Program.
“I went to my first BISQC ready to hear a few good string quartets and, perhaps, one or two great ones. How exhilarating it was to hear 10 really fine ensembles.” Mervon Mehta, Executive Director of Performing Arts at The Royal Conservatory & BISQC Lecturer.
BISQC Tel: 403.762.6231
[email protected] www.bisqc.ca
