The Boise Chamber Music Series
String Quartet Competition
Saturday, March 9, 2019
9:00 am-12:00 pm
Competition Judges: The PARKER Quartet
First-Place Prizes for
Pre-College and Collegiate Categories
Boise State University
Morrison Center Recital Hall

Eligibility

• Pre-College Category: Quartet members must be 19 years or younger, and not yet in college, as of Dec. 31, 2018. The ensemble must consist of two violins, viola, and cello. Each student in a Pre-college student quartet will be required to have majority enrollment in the same sponsoring Idaho school and participate in that school's regular, not only chamber, orchestra program. The person signing as the "administrative coach" will be the orchestra teacher at that school, and will be responsible for communications with the competition organizer. If others coach the quartet, regularly or irregularly, it will not be cause to disqualify the quartet. Students who are home-schooled, but participate in an institution’s orchestra program are eligible to compete as a quartet member from that institution. Individuals may not compete in more than one ensemble.
• Collegiate Category: Quartet members must be enrolled in the same Idaho college or university; the quartet personnel must be majority undergraduates; the maximum individual age is 28 as of Dec. 31, 2018. The ensemble must consist of two violins, viola, and cello. Individuals may not compete in more than one ensemble.
• Previous winners are not eligible to compete as a full quartet with the same personnel.

Application Process

• NO APPLICATION FEE
• Preliminary Application: Must be received via email from the Administrative Coach by Tuesday, January 15, 2019. Please email your application in Word or PDF file to Jeanne Belfy at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you do not receive acknowledgment or receipt of application by return email by 5:00, Jan. 17, please leave a phone message at (208) 426-1216. A maximum of three quartets from each category will be invited to perform at the live competition on March 9, 2019. In the event that there are more than three applicant quartets in a category, you will be notified by midnight Jan. 18 that the recording component with the final application is required.
• Recorded Round Final Application (only when Repertoire Recording is required): Must be received in hard copy by Feb. 5, 2019. The Application Repertoire Recording should be submitted in CD format, with only repertoire identified on the CD (no names or school, please). It should be accompanied by a legible, hard copy of the Final Application. (See repertoire rules below).
• Recorded Applicant quartets will be notified by Feb. 9 if they have been selected to perform at the live competition.
• In the event of insufficient entrants (fewer than two in either category), the organizers reserve the right to cancel the competition for either or both categories.
• Administrative (signing) Coaches must communicate directly with the competition organizer regarding questions about any aspect of the event, and not through students. This is to prevent confusion and miscommunication that disrupt the educational process.

Repertoire Rules

• Each quartet must prepare two contrasting movements/selections from the standard literature (published scores, not self-published) of the string quartet. Contrasting is defined by the following major style periods (the competition organizers will make the judgment if the call is close):
  1. Viennese Classical, up to and including Beethoven and Schubert
  2. 19th Century Romantic, through about 1910
  3. 20th Century, typically composed after 1910
• The total competition performance time for both selections together is limited to 20 minutes. Selections may exceed the time limit, but performances may be stopped at ten minutes for each selection by the judges during the live competition.

Competition Details

• Please bring one original score for each composition and three additional scores (photocopies acceptable), and make sure scores carry no identifying marks.
• The Pre-College Quartets must be ready to perform at 9:00 am. Warm-up rooms will be available at 8:30 am. The order of performance will be pre-determined by random procedure.
• The Collegiate Quartets must be ready to perform at 10:00 am. Warm-up rooms will be available at 8:30 am. The order of performance will be pre-determined by random procedure.
• The competition performance is free and open to the public.
• Participants from out of town may be offered lodging at the homes of BCMS members. Please email Jeanne Belfy at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Feb. 11 for more information about this.
• Winners in each category will be announced at the conclusion of the competition. Collegiate First Place winners will receive a prize of $1000 to be divided equally among the four players. Pre-College First Place winners will receive a prize of $800 to be divided equally among the four players. Full information as required on the application forms is needed in order to process prize checks.
• All quartets participating in the live competition will receive certificates of recognition, as well as written comments and suggestions from the judges.
• All participating quartets are invited to attend the formal concert by the PARKER Quartet on the Boise Chamber Music Series the evening preceding the competition, with a coach, free of charge. Reservations should be made to Jeanne Belfy by the coach by March 1. Stage seating may be used.