ST. PAUL – July 1, 2010
For the 2nd year in a row, the Saint Paul String Quartet Competition’s top 2 prizewinning quartets –
Emerald String Quartet and Quartet Danaë – have gone on to the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and garnered top prizes. Last year it was Gold and Bronze; this year it was Gold and Silver.
The surprise? The order was reversed and Quartet Danaë took the Gold with Emerald hauling in the Silver.
The SPSQC has now completed its 5th String Quartet Competition in Sundin Music Hall on the campus of Hamline University. Created as a performance showcase for advanced quartet studies, this unique nationally ranked 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.”
Founded in 2006 by Artaria String Quartet violinist Ray Shows, 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’. Groups from across the country 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.
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