The prestigious Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC) is held every three years, and we are delighted to present Poiesis Quartet, the first-prize winners at BISQC 2025. For the second of their two concerts at the Festival, they will be joined by Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, herself a previous BISQC winner as the founding violist of the Dover Quartet.

Poiesis Quartet become the seventh BISQC-winning ensemble to appear at VSMF. Past winners that have played at the Festival are: St. Lawrence String Quartet (2000), Dover Quartet (2014-2025), Cecilia String Quartet (2016), Rolston String Quartet (2019), Viano String Quartet (2022), Isadore String Quartet (2023), Marmen Quartet (2023).