ST. PAUL – October 15, 2009
The 2010 Saint Paul String Quartet Competition (SPSQC) will take place at Sundin Music Hall on the campus of Hamline University on Saturday, April 17, 2010. Exceptional young quartets from the best prep music programs in the country will convene in St. Paul next April to compete in a Final Round play-off against each other for prize-money and awards. The event begins at 1:00pm and is free and open to the public.
The SPSQC, founded by Artaria String Quartet violinist Ray Shows, is now in its 5th year at Sundin Music Hall. Created as a performance showcase for advanced quartet studies, this unique national event has received superlative acclaim by Strings magazine and many of the most renowned teachers in the country. Its stated aim is to “celebrate excellence in string quartet playing (and) foster an increased appreciation for the chamber music art form, and enhance the music culture in this country.”
The competition is open to high school string quartets from around the country and is always adjudicated by a professional string quartet. With only string quartets competing, it is a simple comparison of ‘apples to apples’ for the Cavani String Quartet, our 2010 jurors. Groups submit CD recordings of three masterworks of the repertoire. These unedited performances are evaluated by independent jurors in the categories: Tone Quality, Intonation, Ensemble & Balance, and Musical Ideas. The top scoring quartets are invited to compete in the Final Round on April 17th.
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