The Viano String Quartet won joint first prize at Banff in September.
Congratulations to the Viano String Quartet on their joint first prize at the prestigious 2019 Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC), held August 26–September 1, 2019. This is the first time that BISQC has awarded two quartets the top prize.
The Viano String Quartet and their co-winners The Marmen Quartet will each receive a $16,500 cash prize, and will share concert tours of over 40 major markets in Europe and North America, a creative residency at Banff Centre for recording opportunities, as well as coaching and mentorship opportunities.
This win is the most recent on the quartet’s list of achievements, which also includes prizes in last year’s Fischoff and Wigmore Hall international competitions in addition to Osaka in 2017. Violinist Hao Zhou was also selected as the Grand Laureate of the 2019 Concours Musical International de Montréal Violin Competition earlier this year.
Violinists Hao Zhou and Lucy Wang, violist Aiden Kane, and cellist Tate Zawadiuk formed the Viano String Quartet in 2015 at Colburn, where they are Ensemble-in-Residence through the 2020–21 season. The quartet works primarily with Martin Beaver, as well as other Colburn faculty including Scott St. John, Clive Greensmith, Paul Coletti, and Fabio Bidini. The Viano String Quartet are part of the Colburn Artists roster.