Orenda Quartet Takes Top Honors at 2026 Saint Paul String Quartet Competition Junior Division​

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Saint Paul, MN — April 18, 2026

 

The 21st Annual Saint Paul String Quartet Competition (SPSQC) proudly announces the prize winners of its 2026 Junior Division, held Saturday, April 18 in Saint Paul. The event brought together outstanding young ensembles from across the country for a day of compelling performances, collegial exchange, and celebration of chamber music at its highest pre-professional level.

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Claiming the Gold Medals, the Orenda Quartet of California captivated both jury and audience with their expressive depth, technical command, and unified musical vision. Members of the Young Chamber Musicians, the ensemble is coached by Susan Bates and Zakarias Grafilo. In addition to the top prize, the quartet earned the Haydn Prize for their stylistically compelling interpretation, as well as the Audience Favorite Award, with strong support among the 3110 votes cast by viewers that day from 16 countries and 31 states. 

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The Silver Medals were awarded to the Takaani Quartet from the Music Institute of Chicago Academy, coached by Sang Mee Lee. Their refined and communicative performance of Caroline Shaw's Blueprint also earned them the Composer Spotlight Prize, recognizing exceptional advocacy for contemporary repertoire.

 

Representing Minnesota, Quartet Selene of the Artaria Chamber Music School received the Bronze Medals under the guidance of Nancy Oliveros, distinguishing themselves with a poised and nuanced performance that reflected the strength of the region’s musical training.

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The three other excellent finalist ensembles were the Amare String Quartet from the Chamber Academy of the St Louis Symphony, the Blair Quartet from the Maryland Classical Youth Orchestras, and the Huxsoll Quartet from the Center for Gifted Musicians in Philadelphia

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The full day event was guided by returning emcee Steve Seel, whose warmth, insight, and deep knowledge of music created a welcoming and engaging atmosphere throughout the day. 

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Founded in 2006 by Ray Shows, the SPSQC has grown from a regional initiative into a nationally and internationally respected competition dedicated to the advancement of young chamber musicians. Over the past two decades, it has served as a vital launching platform for emerging ensembles, many of whom have gone on to major conservatories, professional careers, and prominent festival appearances.

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​WINNERS ALL!

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SAINT PAUL, MN — April 13, 2026

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Four exceptional, highly trained, and artistically gifted pre-professional string quartets gathered in Saint Paul on Saturday April 11 at the acoustically renowned Sundin Music Hall for two rounds of compelling performances. Representing four of the nation’s most prestigious music schools, these ensembles demonstrated the remarkable depth of emerging talent in the United States, as well as the strength of chamber music training and the dedication of a new generation of thoughtful, expressive young artists.

 

The opening Composer Spotlight Round featured Pisachi, an evocative string quartet work by American composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma. The quartet’s seamless blend of rhythmic vitality and lyrical melodies provided each ensemble with a rich platform for interpretation and artistic expression. The Karuna Quartet of The Juilliard School delivered a standout, prizewinning performance, while the Velaris String Quartet of Stony Brook University earned high marks and a well-deserved honorable mention from the jury.

 

The Recital Round—requiring each ensemble to present a curated 30-minute program from their submitted repertoire—showcased a series of masterful and nuanced performances.  First Prize was awarded to the Karuna Quartet for their pristine interpretations of Haydn’s complete Quartet in CM Op. 33, No.3 and mvt.3 from Bartók String Quartet No.1.  Second Prize was jointly awarded to the Prometheus Quartet of the University of Delaware, performing mvts1 & 4 from Beethoven’s Op.18, No.6 and the complete Bartók String Quartet No. 3, and the Soha Quartet of the University of Texas at Austin, performing Beethoven’s Op. 18, No. 1 and Ginastera’s String Quartet No. 2. 

 

Emcee Steve Staruch of Minnesota Public Radio invited both in-person and online audiences to participate by voting for their favorite ensemble, recognizing the performances that resonated most deeply. The Soha Quartet of Austin, Texas, earned the Audience Choice Award with strong support among the total 1,174 votes.

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The competition continues next Saturday, April 18, when six high school quartets will take the stage at Sundin Music Hall beginning at 11:00 a.m. Admission remains free, offering audiences the opportunity to experience performances of extraordinary quality—music that is, truly, priceless.

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