The 52nd annual Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, held last weekend (May 9-11) at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, concluded with significant honors for several talented ensembles. A total of 59 groups from across the globe competed for top prizes in the prestigious event.
Among the standout winners, the Katarina String Quartet from The Juilliard School in New York City claimed the Grand Prize Medal and a $15,000 award. The quartet also secured the Gold Medal in the Senior String Division. Formed in 2022 at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music, the group is currently the Graduate Resident Quartet at Juilliard. The quartet takes its name from Katarina Guarneri, the wife of renowned violin maker Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù, and strives to honor lesser-known figures in classical music.
In the Senior Wind Division, the Cerus Quartet, a saxophone ensemble from the University of Michigan, won the Gold Medal. Both winning quartets will embark on the Fischoff Double Gold Tour, performing across the Midwest this fall, as well as participating in outreach programs.
In addition to the prize money, the Katarina String Quartet has earned an invitation to perform at the Chamber Music America (CMA) Annual Conference and will perform at the Emilia Romagna Festival in Italy. The quartet will also participate in residencies with the Friends of Chamber Music in Troy, New York, and the American University of Sharjah in the UAE.
Senior String Division Results:
Grand Prize and Gold Medal ($15,000): Katarina String Quartet (The Juilliard School, New York City, NY)
Members: Jeanel Liang (violin), Jérôme Chiasson (violin), Celia Morin (viola), Maya Enstad (cello)
Silver Medal ($4,000): Trio Eris (New England Conservatory, Boston, MA)
Members: J. McDonald (violin), Annie SeEun Hyung (cello), Andrew Jun Chen (piano)
Bronze Medal ($3,000): Trio Timia (Schulich School of Music of McGill University, Montreal, Canada)
Members: June Lee (violin), François Lamontagne (cello), Itamar Prag (piano)
Lift Every Voice Prize ($1,500): Trio Unio (Seoul, South Korea)
Members: Young Sun Choi (piano), Eunji Kim (violin), Ah-Yeon Nam (cello)
Horszowski Trio Prize ($1,000): Trio Eris for best piano ensemble performance
Junior String Division Results:
Gold Medal ($2,500): Aves Trio (Young Chamber Musicians, Burlingame, CA)
Members: Euisun Hong (violin), Huisun Hong (cello), Jacob Rockower (piano)
Silver Medal ($2,000): Doxa Quartet (The Colburn School, Los Angeles, CA)
Members: Lena Kim (violin), Jiyu Lee (violin), Kayla Kim (viola), Noah Choi (cello)
Bronze Medal ($1,500): Quartetto Speranza (Midwest Young Artists Conservatory, Highwood, IL)
Members: Cecilia O’Malley (violin), Alison Chung (violin), Callia Murray (viola), Diego Dahle (cello)
Horszowski Trio Prize ($500): Aves Trio
Kenneth Geoffroy Memorial Award ($800): Benediction Trio (St. Joseph High School, South Bend, IN; Penn High School, Mishawaka, IN; Kolbe Academy, South Bend, IN)
Members: Catherine Lutz (violin), Jonathan Aizigov (cello), Ignatius Caro (piano)
The Fischoff competition, established in 1973 by Joseph E. Fischoff and the South Bend Chamber Music Society, continues to celebrate excellence in chamber music performance. This year’s contest showcased the incredible talent of young musicians from around the world, and the winners have earned the opportunity to further their careers with international performances and residencies.
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