Double Gold Tour
Each fall Fischoff is pleased to host both gold medal winners from the Senior Division for the Double Gold Tour. The Double Gold Tour showcases the Wind and String winners in mainstage concerts across the Midwest. During their tour, these outstanding, emerging ensembles serve as resident artists providing interactive workshops, demonstrations and masterclasses for middle and high school band and orchestra students in Indiana and other neighboring states, as well as community concerts for audiences of all ages.
These personal interactions with Fischoff’s exceptional artists help encourage participation in band and orchestra programs as well as provide opportunities for this next generation of chamber music artists to cultivate future chamber music audiences. Fischoff ensembles expose audiences to high quality, innovative chamber music programs, which will reach many audience members who would not otherwise have the opportunity to hear live performances of this caliber.
2023 Gold Medal Tours
2023 Wind Tour Kodachrome
From left to right:
Jade Deatherage, Bonson Lee, Calvin Wong, and Siobhan Plouffe
Winners of the 2023 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition Gold Medal, Kodachrome is a saxophone quartet of four graduate students from Arizona State University where they are under the tutelage of Dr. Christopher Creviston. Kodachrome has also won First Prize awards at the 10th Plowman Chamber Music Competition and the 10th Coltman Chamber Music Competition and has also premiered several new works by Jenni Watson, Hendel Almétus and Eduardo Orea. Kodachrome is comprised of Calvin Wong (soprano), Jade Deatherage (alto), Siobhan Plouffe (tenor) and Bonson Lee (baritone). As individuals, members have competed and performed extensively in the United States as well as internationally and have studied with artists such as Otis Murphy, Kenneth Tse, Vincent David and Chien-Kwan Lin. One of the primary goals of Kodachrome is to promote contemporary underrepresented composers and provoke the general public’s interest in concert music.
2023 String Tour Poiesis Quartet
From left to right:
Drew Dansby, Max Ball, Sarah Ma, and Jasper de Boor
The Poiesis Quartet is the 2023 Grand Prize winner of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Founded during Oberlin Conservatory’s Advanced Quartet Seminar program in Fall 2022, they also received Fischoff’s Senior Strings Gold Medal and the Lift Every Voice prizes. In January 2023, the Quartet completed an international tour in Uruguay with artistic residencies in Punta del Diablo and Punta del Este’s premiere concert series, “Conciertos del Este”. Performances included the world premiere of Alejandro Melo’s composition “Elegy” which was dedicated to the Quartet. They also received Gold Medal and BIPOC Prize at the 2023 St. Paul String Quartet Competition’s senior division and Bronze Medal at the 2023 Glass City Chamber Music Competition. Additionally, Poiesis is grateful to have performed in masterclasses and worked with Sandy Yamamoto of the Miró Quartet, Philip Setzer of the Emerson Quartet, Jinjoo Cho, and Matt Albert. The Poiesis Quartet is primarily coached by Sibbi Bernhardsson of the Pacifica Quartet and is mentored by the Verona Quartet and Kirsten Docter of the Cavani Quartet.
The name Poiesis is derived from the ancient Greek word ποιεῖν, which means “to make”.
2023 Gold Medal Schedule
Kodachrome September 13 - 23, 2023
All times are in EST.
September 14 at 7:00 PM Con Spirito Chamber Music Series, Thiel College, Greenville, PA
September 16 at 7:30 PM Duckwall Artist Series, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN
September 17 at 7:00 PM Howard Center Presents Series, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI
September 20 at 1:15 PM Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts, Chicago, IL. Broadcast live on WFMT 98.7 and streamed live at wfmt.com
Poiesis Quartet October 23 - November 1, 2023
All times are in EST.
October 25 at 1:15 PM Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts, Chicago, IL. Broadcast live on WFMT 98.7 and streamed live at wfmt.com
October 27 at 8:30 PM Civic Music Association Presents Concert, Des Moines, IA
October 29 at 4:00 PM LaBar Recital Hall, O'Neill Hall of Music, University of Notre Dame
October 31 at 7:00 PM Culver Academies Concert, Heritage Room, Legion Memorial Building
2023 Tour Education Partners
Kodachrome September 13 - 23, 2023
– Adams High School, South Bend, IN
– John Young Middle School, Mishawaka, IN
– Lasalle Intermediate Academy, South Bend, IN
– PENN High School, Mishawaka, IN
– South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra
– St. Joseph High School, St. Joseph, MI
– Upton Middle School, St. Joseph, MI
Poiesis Quartet October 23 - November 1, 2023
– Civic Music Association, Des Moines, IA
– Clay International Academy, South Bend, IN
– Culver Academies, Culver, IN
– Drake University, Des Moines, IA
– Elkhart High School, Elkhart, IN
– Goshen High School, Goshen, IN
– LaSalle Intermediate Academy, South Bend, IN
– Merrill, Goodrell & Harding Middle Schools, Des Moines, IA
– St. Joseph High School, St. Joseph, MI
– Upton Middle School, St. Joseph, MI
2023 Tour Sponsors
The Double Gold Tour is possible with generous support from the following donors: Frederick S. Upton Foundation, Don and Nancy Crawford Fund for Fischoff in Mishawaka Schools, Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust, 1st Source, Indiana Arts Commission & National Endowment of the Arts, ArtsEverywhere Initiative of the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County.
Double Gold Tour Accolades
“It gave my students a real music experience that they may not have ever been able to see or enjoy. I teach in a low-income area, and some of these students have trouble getting food at night. To have this for them is amazing, because at that moment their socio-economic status did not limit their potential.”
Band teacher, Navarre Middle School
“I like students to think of these performances as they work on their own instruments. They can provide great role models for playing (both technically and personally).”
Orchestra teacher, Lasalle Intermediate
The Balourdet String Quartet was excited to “share how amazing our experience has been… we look forward to all the things we will continue to do as a part of the Fischoff family. Joining this amazing team was really one of the best things that happened to us last year (2020). Thank you for everything you’ve done for us!”
Balourdet Quartet, 2020 Fischoff Senior String Division Gold Medalist