2025 Competition focus

Welcome to the February issue and our 2025 competition focus.

This month, we catch up with Barry Shiffman, Director of the Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC), to explore how music, mentorship and nature converge to create an unparalleled artistic experience. 

Elsewhere, we examine the enduring legacy of the Odesa International Violin Competition, tracing its roots back to the extraordinary musical heritage of the region and the visionary teaching of Pyotr Stolyarsky. Even amid the challenges of war, the competition remains a testament to resilience, ensuring that Odesa’s influence continues to resonate on the global stage.

News

• Orchestre de la Suisse Romande rethinks the audience experience
• Highlights from Bachtrack’s Annual Classical Music Statistics
• OPERA America’s 2024 Annual Field Report results revealed
• Applications open for ISPA’s Pitch New Works
• Composers invited to compete for prestigious Azrieli Music Prizes

Musical Chairs

• From promotions to retirement – find out who’s on the move

Classical Music Signings

• Keep up to date with the latest industry news

Competitions and Awards

• Competitions and Awards news
• sideNotes: The Cello Diaries, Part 2

Concertgebouw Bruges’ SLOW(36H) festival

Rebel in the Arts

• Grace Okereke on failure through success

New York conference reports from APAP and ISPA

Competition Focus:

• Barry Shiffman, Director of the Banff International String Quartet Competition
• Odesa International Violin Competition
• Competition listings

Diary: Alicia Adams

• A week with the Vice President of Dance and International Programming at the
 John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts