Announcement: The Morrison Chamber Music Center at SFSU’s School of Music and Dance is pleased to announce the creation of an annual San Francisco Bay Area chamber music prize for high school age ensembles. This prize will be called the “Galante Prize” in honor of Jane Hohfeld Galante, to acknowledge her life-long dedication and enduring contribution to chamber music at SFSU and in the San Francisco Bay Area.
The selection process for participating ensembles will begin in December 2013 and conclude during the Yehudi Menuhin Festival (Feb. 12-16, 2014). Members of the Alexander String Quartet and Menuhin Seminar/Festival Faculty will serve as judges.
Eligibility: Ensembles of strings: trios, quartets or quintets, or strings+one (piano or wind instrument) hailing from Northern California. Ensembles should have an average age of no more than 18, with no single member more than 20 years of age, as of Jan. 1, 2014. Ensembles must have a sponsor, which can be a school music program, youth orchestra, private music studio, or chamber music training program. All members of eligible ensembles must be available for the awarding of the Galante Prize and prizewinner’s performance at the 2014 Yehudi Menuhin Chamber Music Seminar and Festival on Sunday Feb. 16 at 7:00pm
Application deadline: Jan. 1, 2014
Application requirements: video taped performance of two contrasting movements (from the same or different works), letter of recommendation from teacher or coach. It may be possible to arrange for live auditions in some cases. There will be no cost to ensembles if selected to participate in the YMCMS. Participation will be arranged according to ensemble availability during the Seminar.
Galante Prize Selection Finals will be held in Knuth Hall at San Francisco State University on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014 commencing at 5pm. Galante Prize Finalists will perform two contrasting movements of no more than 20 minutes total length.
Prize: $1000, to be shared by the winning ensemble
Featured performance at YMCMS on Feb. 16, 2014
Additional study and performance opportunities to be announced
To Apply: By January 1, 2014, send a Statement of Intent to apply with the following information:
Ensemble Name
Ensemble Sponsor
By January 15, 2014, you must also send:
Ensemble bio
Member names and short bio for each
Coach’s name and letter of recommendation
Repertoire planned for Galante Prize selection process (two contrasting movements)
Ensemble photograph
All application materials should be emailed to: melindaz@sfsu.edu