An unbylined article on Tuesday’s (9/7) CBC News website (Canada) reports, “Toronto ensemble Cecilia String Quartet emerged triumphant over the weekend, snagging the top prize at the 10th Banff International String Quartet Competition. A packed, enthusiastic crowd at the Banff Centre’s Eric Harvie Theatre watched early Sunday evening as Cecilia Quartet’s Sarah Nematallah (violin), Rebecca Wenham (cello), Min-Jeong Koh (violin) and Caitlin Boyle (viola) captured the $25,000 first prize. … The ensemble’s win also includes a North American and European tour scheduled for 2011-2012, a residency at the Banff Centre, in part to produce a new album, and a quartet of custom bows by renowned Quebecker Francois Malo. The often brilliantly clad group also earned the $2,000 Canadian Commission Prize for the best performance of this year’s specially commissioned work by Canadian composer Ana Sokolovic. … Fellow Canadian ensemble Afiara String Quartet, which is based in New York, landed the $12,000 second-place spot … The Banff competition, held every three years and attracting young and accomplished musicians from all over the world, was founded in 1983 as a way to boost the careers of young and emerging classical artists.
Posted September 8, 2010
