Purpose
To commemorate Atlanta Festival Academy’s Fifth Anniversary, and with its emergence as a chamber music training destination, AFA will host a String Quartet Competition open to musicians ages 19 and younger. Student ensembles will have the opportunity to compete for almost $13,000 in scholarship prizes towards AFA’s 5th Anniversary European Tour!
When & Where
The first-round video submission deadline is extended to January 10, 2024. Please see video submission details below.
The final round will take place live on Saturday, February 17, 2024 in Johns Creek, Georgia which is located just north of Atlanta.
Competition Divisions
The 2024 String Quartet Competition will include two age divisions: 13-and-Under and 14-to-19.
Prizes
The members of each age division’s First Prize winning quartet will each receive a $1000 scholarship applicable to Atlanta Festival Academy’s 5th Anniversary European Tour.
The members of each age division’s Second Prize winning quartet will each receive a $500 scholarship applicable to Atlanta Festival Academy’s 5th Anniversary European Tour.
The members of each age division’s Third Prize winning quartet will each receive a $100 scholarship applicable to Atlanta Festival Academy’s 5th Anniversary European Tour.
Eligibility
The 5th Anniversary String Quartet Competition is open to all applicants; however, applicants must be able to join Atlanta Festival Academy’s 2024 European Tour between July 8 and July 17, 2024 (financial aid may be available to assist with tuition/travel costs).
To compete in the 13-and-Under Division, the four ensemble members’ average age must be equal to or less than 13.33 years old. Applicants’ ages on August 1, 2023 will be used to determine what age-division they compete in.
To compete in the 14-to-19 Division, the four ensemble members’ average age must be equal to or more than 13.34 years old and equal to or less than 19.33 years old. Applicants’ ages on August 1, 2023 will be used to determine what age-division they compete in.
Application Details
Please complete the ensemble application found here. There is a $100 ensemble application fee for the 5th Anniversary String Quartet Competition.
Video Submission Details
Please upload your video to YouTube, title your video with “AFA 2024 Quartet Competition, YOUR ENSEMBLE’S NAME”, and select Unlisted when you upload it. Separate takes of your competition pieces are allowed, but no edits within those takes are permitted.
All first round materials, including application and video, must be submitted by January 10, 2024.
Questions?
If you have questions please contact us at [email protected]. Please put “Quartet Competition” in your subject line.
Competition Repertoire
Junior Division
- First movement from F. J. Haydn Quartet Op.1 No. 1
AND
A First or Last movement from one of the following compositions:
- Any F. J. Haydn Quartet
- W. A. Mozart – any Quartet from K. 387 or later/higher
- Beethoven Op. 18 Quartets
- Mendelssohn Quartets Op. 12 or Op. 13
- Dvorak “American” Quartet Op. 96
- Borodin Quartet No. 2
- Shostakovich – First and Second movement from Quartet no. 8
- Prokofiev Quartet No. 2 Op. 92
Senior Division
- A First movement from any of the F. J. Haydn Op. 76 Quartets
AND
A First movement from any string quartet by the following composers:
- Beethoven
- Brahms
- Schubert
- Schumann
- Mendelssohn
- Tchaikovsky
- Dvorak
- Smetana
- Borodin
- Verdi
- Debussy
- Ravel
- Shostakovich (Movements 1 and 2 if performing Quartet No. 8)
- Prokofiev
- Bartok
- Wolf’s Italian Serenade
Downloadable Poster and Rules/Repertoire
First Round Video Submission Deadline Extended to January 10, 2024
