VC Artist Viano String Quartet's Winning Performance at 2019 Banff Competition

Tune in to The Violin Channel until September 4 for live rounds of the 2022 Banff Centre International String Quartet Competition

At the 2019 Banff International String Quartet Competition, VC Artist Viano String Quartet won joint first prize. Comprising violinists Hao Zhou and Lucy Wang, violist Aiden Kane and cellist Tate Zawadiuk, the Vianos will make their VC Vanguard Concerts debut this September!

Check out their prize-winning performance of Beethoven's String Quartet No. 9 in C major Op. 59 No. 3 in the Final Round of the 13th Banff International String Quartet Competition:

"We have many wonderful memories from BISQC!" the group told The Violin Channel. "The breathtaking sight of the mountains surrounding Banff, reading quartets with fellow competitors and friends on a makeshift baroque stage in the Banff Centre campus bistro and bar, and the incredible feeling of performing throughout the competition for such a dedicated audience made for a marvelous experience.

"Our fondest memory is the moment Marmen and Viano realized that we shared both the First Prize and the Canadian Commission Prize!"

When asked what advice they'd give to future Banff competitors, they said "For us, we find it useful to all agree on a particular goal for any given performance. Each of us also has our own pre-concert routines that help us prepare mentally and physically, but as a group, we all believe that a key element to a good performance is sharing a moment of light-hearted humor prior to walking on stage."

The Violin Channel will be streaming this year’s entire competition — You won’t miss a beat.

Established in 1983 as part of Banff Centre’s 50th anniversary, BISQC is held once every three years. Directed by Barry Shiffman, this year's edition will be the first presentation in Banff Centre's newly revitalized Jenny Belzberg Theatre.

"We are thrilled to invite ten of the world’s best emerging string quartets to Banff for the Banff International String Quartet Competition," said Barry Shiffman, Director of the Banff International String Quartet Competition. "It is hard to overstate how life and career changing these opportunities are for emerging ensembles, and how excited we are to be able to recognize the talents of BISQC musicians."