Press Release
Announcing the Winners of the 2015 Fischoff Competition
The Senior String Division Silver Medal ($3,000) went to the Calla Quartet, whose members Michaela Wellems (violin), Amelia Dietrich (violin), Aiden Kane (viola) and Karissa Zadinsky (cello) study at The Colburn School, Los Angeles, California. The Senior String Division Barbara Shields Byrum Bronze Medal ($2,000) went to the Autana Trio of Cleveland, Ohio. Members include Yuri Noh (piano), Ruben Rengel (violin), and Anna Bowman (cello).
In the Junior Division (for musicians eighteen and under), the First Place Medal and Scholarship of $2,300 was won by the Incendium Quartet of The Colburn School and Pasadena Conservatory, Los Angeles, California. Geneva Lewis (violin), Mei Zhan (violin), Emma Wernig (viola) and Atticus Mellor-Goldman (cello). The Second Place Medal and Scholarship of $1,800 was won by the Trio Adonais of the New England Conservatory Prep School Boston, Massachusetts. Members include Sammy Andonian (violin), Mari Nagahara (cello) and John Gibson (piano). The Third Place Medal and Scholarship ($1,300) went to the Alegrar Quartet of Barratt Due Institute of Music, Oslo, Norway. Members include Inga Vaga Gåustad (violin), Oda Holt Günther (violin), Michael Andreas Grolid (viola) and Brage Botn Seim (cello). Honorable Mentions went to the Isolde Quartet of New England Conservatory Prep, Boston, Massachusetts and Atara String Quartet of the Music Institute of Chicago.
The Junior Division Wind Prize and scholarship of $500 was won by Yumpadump Brass Trio of Merit School of Music, Chicago, Illinois. Members include Ricardo Zapata (trumpet), David Sweeney (horn), and Adriel Garcia (trombone). Sponsored by the American Brass Quintet, this award honors the most outstanding wind ensemble in the Junior Division.
Announcing the Winners of the 2014 Fischoff Competition
The Senior String Division Silver Medal ($3,000) went to the Altius Quartet, whose members Sercan Danis (violin), Andrew Giordano (violin), Andrew Krimm (viola) and Zachary Reaves (cello) study at Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas. The Senior String Division Barbara Shields Byrum Bronze Medal ($2,000) went to the Evita Quartet of the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Members include Hyorim Han (violin), Haerim Lee (violin) Yi-Chun Lin (viola), and Soojung Kim (cello).
In the Junior Division (for musicians eighteen and under), the First Place Medal and Scholarship of $2,300 was won by the Quartet Fuoco of Midwest Young Artists, Highwood, Illinois. Rachel Stenzel (violin), Aidan Perreault (violin), David Berghoff (viola) and Christopher Gao (cello). The Second Place Medal and Scholarship of $1,800 was won by the Vox Quartet of the The Academy of Music Institute of Chicago, Illinois. Members include Hansuh Rhee (violin), Serena Harnack (violin), Mira Williams (viola) and Nathan Mo (cello). The Third Place Medal and Scholarship ($1,300) went to the Quartet Firenze of The Colburn School of Performing Arts, Los Angeles, California. Members include Hao Zhou (violin), Tiffany Chung (violin), Nathan Wong (viola) and Iona Batchelder (cello). Honorable Mention went to the Snitzer Quartet of Settlement Music School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Members include Beatrice Hsieh (violin), Carolyn Semes (violin), Joseph Burke (viola), Zachary Mowitz (cello).
New this year, the Junior Division Wind Prize and scholarship of $500 was won by Enigma Saxophone Quartet of Spring, Texas. Members include Austin Houghton (soprano saxophone), Ronald Ogden III (alto saxophone), Elvys Del Jesus (tenor saxophone), and Steve Lopez (baritone saxophone). Sponsored by the American Brass Quintet, this award honors the most outstanding wind ensemble in the Junior Division.
Announcing the Winners of the 2013 Fischoff Competition
In the Senior Wind Division, the Silver Medal ($3,000) was awarded to the Kenari Quartet of Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. Members include Robert Eason (soprano saxophone), Durand Jones (alto saxophone), Corey Dundee (tenor saxophone) and Steven Banks (baritone saxophone). The Senior Wind Division Bronze Medal ($2,000) was awarded to the The Midic Winds, who currently study at the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York. Ensemble members include Johanna Gruskin (flute), June Kim (oboe), Rebecca Tobin (clarinet), Russell Rybicki (horn) and Quinn Delaney (bassoon).
The Senior String Division Silver Medal ($3,000) went to the Wasmuth String Quartet, whose members Brendan Shea (violin), Jonathan Ong (violin), Abigail Rojansky (viola) and Warren Hagerty (cello) study at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. The Senior String Division Barbara Shields Byrum Bronze Medal ($2,000) went to the Trio Concorde of the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, Massachusetts. Members include Zenas Hsu (violin), Yina Tong (cello), and Livan (piano).
In the Junior Division (for musicians eighteen and under), the First Place Medal and Scholarship of $2,300 was won by the Quartet Lumiére of The Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago, Illinois. Members include Rebecca Benjamin (violin), Gallia Kastner (violin), Mira Williams (viola) and Josiah Yoo (cello). The Second Place Medal and Scholarship of $1,800 was won by the Mazel Trio of the Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, Michigan. Members include Dylan Naroff (violin), Daniel Blumhard (cello) and Ariela Bohrod (piano). The Third Place Medal and Scholarship ($1,300) went to the Quartet Morina of Midwest Young Artists, Highwood, Illinois. Members include Rachel Stenzel (violin), Genevieve Smelser (violin), Aidan Perreault (viola) and Chris Gao (cello).
ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS OF THE 2012 FISCHOFF COMPETITION
NOTRE DAME, IN (May 13, 2012) – Out of 48 competing ensembles from across the nation and around the world, the Barkada Quartet has won the coveted Grand Prize of the 2012 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition ($7,500.00) and the Gold Medal ($3,000.00) in the Senior Wind Division. The Tesla Quartet captured the Gold Medal ($3,000.00) in the Senior String Division. In addition to prize money, both ensembles will participate in a Winner’s Tour of the Midwestern United States in October, and the Barkada Quartet will perform several concerts in the Emilia Romagna Festival in Italy in 2013. Barkada Quartet members Christopher Elchico (soprano saxophone), Marti Comas (alto saxophone), Steven Lawhon (tenor saxophone) and Justin Polyblank (baritone saxophone) currently study at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, Bloomington, Indiana. Tesla Quartet members Ross Snyder (violin), Michelle Lie (violin), Megan Mason (viola) and Kimberly Patterson (cello), currently study at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, Colorado.
In the Senior Wind Division, the Silver Medal ($2,000) was awarded to the Akropolis Quintet of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Members include Tim Gocklin (oboe), Kari Dion (clarinet), Matt Landry (saxophone), Andrew Koeppe (bass clarinet) and Ryan Reynolds (bassoon). The Senior Wind Division Bronze Medal ($1,000) was awarded to the Noctua Wind Quintet, who currently study at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University, Houston, Texas. Ensemble members include Kayla Burggraf (flute), Michelle Pan (oboe), Nicolas Chona (clarinet), John Turman (horn) and Thomas Morrison (bassoon).
The Senior String Division Silver Medal ($2,000) went to the Trio mod3tre, whose members Tessa Lark (violin), Deborah Pae (cello) and Misha Namirovsky (piano) study at the New England Conservatory, Boston, Massachusetts. The Senior String Division Barbara Shields Byrum Bronze Medal ($1,000) went to the Ariadne String Quartet of the Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland, Ohio. Members include Dorothy Ro (violin), Ling Ling Huang (violin), Evan Hesketh (viola) and Denise Ro (cello).
In the Junior Division (for musicians eighteen and under), the First Place Medal and Scholarship of $2,000 was won by the Quartet Stracciatella of The Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago, Illinois. Members include Erika Gray (violin), HyunJae Lim (violin), Stephanie Block (viola) and Johannes Gray (cello). The Second Place Medal and Scholarship of $1,500 was won by the Y Trio of the Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, Michigan. Members include Chaojun Yang (piano), Yue Qian (violin) and Yunwen Chen (cello). The Third Place Medal and Scholarship ($1,000) went to the Quartet Ardella of The Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago, Illinois. Members include Laura Park (violin), Jennifer Cha (violin), Devon Naftzger (viola) and Ben Solomonow (cello). Honorable mentions went to the Pallas Trio of The Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago (Kelly Talim, violin; Mariel Werner, cello; Kate Liu, piano) and Contrapunctus String Quartet of Midwest Young Artists, Highwood, IL (Alan Snow, violin; James Hanford, violin; Andrea Ferguson, viola; Miles Link, cello).
About Fischoff
Founded in 1973 in South Bend, Indiana, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition has grown to become the largest chamber music competition in the world, and one of the most prestigious classical music prizes attainable today. Since its founding, more than 5,000 musicians have participated, many of whom have gone on to distinguished careers in music performance and education.
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SBSO and the Fischoff Announce New Partnership
If you are a member of an ensemble that participated in the Fischoff’s Mentoring Project this year, your ensemble is eligible to participate at the Donald A. Dake Summer Music Academy, without submitting an audition CD or tape.
Fischoff’s Mentoring Project provides an opportunity for regional high school chamber ensembles to receive coaching by professional area musicians at no charge throughout the academic year. Each year, ensembles from Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan participate in coaching sessions and a public recital, as well as perform for service organizations and community events. To download an application and learn more, visit www.fischoff.org and click on the education link.
The Donald A. Dake Summer Chamber Music Academy is designed to challenge high school students (grades 9 thru 12) who are advanced musicians that play a wind, brass, or string instrument or piano. Students will be coached by musicians from the South Bend Symphony. The week-long academy, June 24 – 29th, 2012, is held at Saint Mary’s College and includes individual and group instruction, participation in the Academy Orchestra, master classes, public performances, and a community outreach tour. The tuition is $150.00 per student.
Additionally, a conducting seminar is offered to select students. This unique opportunity gives students a chance to learn how to conduct from the South Bend Symphony’s own Maestro Tsung Yeh. Students will put into practice what they learn by conducting a faculty ensemble. The deadline for applications is April 20, 2012 at 5pm to the South Bend Symphony office at 127 N. Michigan Street, South Bend, IN 46601. An application can be found on the South Bend Symphony Orchestra web site.
The Donald A. Dake Summer Chamber Music Academy is sponsored by the Donald A. Dake Family and the Georgina Joshi Foundation, Inc.
Fischoff’s Mentoring Project is sponsored by The ArtsEverywhere Initiative of the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County and The Elnora Hartman Stickley Scholarship Fund.
ANNA THOMPSON JOINS FISCHOFF NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
DeBartolo Performing Arts Center director joins Wu Han, Paul Katz, and others in group providing strategic counsel to the Fischoff
Ms. Thompson joins Fischoff National Advisory Council members Wu Han (concert pianist and Artistic Co-Director of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, New York), Paul Katz (noted Grammy-winning cellist and former member, Cleveland Quartet), and others.
Anna Thompson serves as the executive director of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center and fills the endowed Judd & Mary Lou Leighton Director of the Performing Arts at the University of Notre Dame. Thompson came to the University of Notre Dame in July of 2007 after ten years at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University (MN) where she unified the fine arts program for these separate Benedictine liberal arts institutions. Prior to holding the position in Minnesota, she served as an arts administrator in Indianapolis for 14 years (Butler University, the Indianapolis Museum of Art). In addition to current oversight of all administration and finances for the Marie P. DeBartolo Center for the Performing Arts, she specializes as a curator of performing arts programming and develops interdisciplinary visiting artist residency projects with the Academy. Thompson has commissioned the first new works in music, dance and theater for Notre Dame to tour nationally and internationally bearing the name of the university.
Thompson has commissioned orchestral and chamber works by David Ott; Bruce Adolphe, Eric Ewazen; Simone Shaheen, Wu Man; Terry Riley; Tarik O’Regan; Stephen Prutsman; Steven Mackey; and Augusta Reed Thomas.
Thompson is a frequent lecturer and presenter at regional, national and international performing arts conferences (University of Krakow-Bytom Poland; Silesian Dance Theater Festival (Bytom, Poland); Association of Performing Arts Presenters; Chamber Music America; Arts Midwest; and the Kennedy Center. Among her achievements is the NAPAMA Presenter of the Year Award (2004). She serves locally on the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County.
Thompson received her bachelor’s degree from Albion College and her master’s from Western Michigan University with additional studies in educational leadership at Butler University and a certificate in executive leadership from the University of Notre Dame. Thompson is a member of the International Society for the Performing Arts, Association of Performing Arts Presenters, Chamber Music America, Dance/USA and the North American Performing Arts Managers and Agents.
About the Fischoff National Chamber Music Association
Founded in 1973 in South Bend, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition has grown to become the largest chamber music competition in the world, and one of the most prestigious classical music prizes attainable today. Since its founding, more than 5,000 musicians have participated, many of whom have gone on to distinguished careers in music performance and education. Committed to music education, the Fischoff also partners with competition alumni to bring free, innovative Arts-in-Education programs directly to children in their own schools and community centers throughout Michiana.
About the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center
The DeBartolo Performing Arts Center facilitates learning reflective of the University of Notre Dame’s distinctive liberal arts tradition through the informed exploration of universal truths and beauty. The Center serves to encourage and celebrate the human spirit through the performing and cinematic arts, which connect, stimulate and enrich our communities.
The Fischoff Announces Collaboration with Artist Heidi Clark
The Fischoff will feature the image of one of Ms. Clark’s well-known sculptures on the 2013 Fischoff Competition poster and program book.
Born and raised in Germany, the visual artist strives to create three-dimensional, harmonious groupings of multiple, unrelated objects. Vintage pieces, including old doors, suitcases, umbrellas, and hats, become props in her designs. “These former objects of utility are freed from the constraints of their inception and, now being only ornamental, are garnering a renewed, albeit changed purpose,” says Clark.
She is particularly known for her use of antique and vintage dress forms, sensing their potential as sculptures and striving “to transform those old, hapless forms into textured, glistening, attention-seeking sculptures…integrated into a modern-day home setting—just as one would display a painting on a wall.”
Founded in 1973 in South Bend, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition has grown to become the largest chamber music competition in the world, and one of the most prestigious classical music prizes attainable today. Since its founding, more than 5,000 musicians have participated, many of whom have gone on to distinguished careers in music performance and education. Committed to music education, the Fischoff also partners with competition alumni to bring free, innovative Arts-in-Education programs directly to children in their own schools and community centers throughout Michiana.
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