MISQA

Constance V. Pathy

Founder

McGill International String Quartet Academy

It is with great enthusiasm and a sense of pride that I announce the 2011 edition of the McGill International String Quartet Academy (MISQA) - enthusiasm, since I consider string quartet playing one of the highest forms of music making and a sense of pride since my alma mater, McGill University and its Schulich School of Music are achieving a high degree of proficiency in the formation of young string quartets.

String quartet playing demands great discipline, great sensitivity, and great teamwork, qualities that can stand one in good stead throughout life. As a string player and participant in many quartets myself, this repertoire has expanded my horizons beyond belief.

Therefore, I am doubly gratified to offer these young musicians an opportunity to work with international masters, who will share their knowledge and experience of this great tradition.

The Schulich School of Music has sustained extraordinary growth in the last ten years thanks to the foresight and outstanding leadership of its leaders and Professor André Roy, who is an inspiration to all his students. May the String Quartet Academy grow and flourish in the same manner.

André J. Roy

General and Artistic Director

McGill International String Quartet Academy

It is a great pleasure to welcome you to the 2011 edition of the McGill International String Quartet Academy (MISQA).

String Quartet playing is widely regarded as the pinnacle of musical creation, performance, and thought. In fact, it could be argued that no other chamber ensemble demands so much of its composers, players, and listeners. McGill’s Schulich School of Music has distinguished itself as a leader in this field, both on the national and international stage through the work of its students and staff.

Thanks to the outstanding generosity of Madame Constance Pathy, we have a unique opportunity to celebrate this pursuit of excellence by offering intensive training and coaching to the next generation of young artists in this field.

At the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, we have an important responsibility to teach, mentor and enrich the lives of our students, and consider it vital to nurture special events, such as MISQA, that will engage, entertain and transform our evolving student community.

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Heather Munroe-Blum

Principal

McGill University

I am delighted by the 2011 edition of the McGill International String Quartet Academy. McGill’s Schulich School of Music has played an outstanding role in the advancement of higher education in music in Quebec, Canada, and internationally.

I feel enormous pride in the remarkable impact and success that our young string quartets have had, and of the ongoing standards of excellence established by our professors and students at the School.

On behalf of the entire McGill community, I express our profound gratitude to an exceptional patron, Mme Constance Pathy, for providing artistic resources to our gifted performing artists. These are helping them to break new ground in a field that greatly enriches our society.

I invite you to experience the music of these talented young musicians alongside their mentors and to share in the wonderful sense of community that this Academy brings to McGill University and to Montreal.

Sean Ferguson

Dean

Schulich School of Music

The Schulich School of Music is pleased to welcome the 2011 edition of the McGill International String Quartet Academy. We look forward to this exciting event with great enthusiasm and anticipation.

The opportunity for students to be mentored by top international string players and to perform and interact closely with them offers the potential for an unforgettable experience of exceptional quality.

With thanks to our patron, Mme Constance Pathy, we are eager to welcome to McGill some of the finest quartets, coaches and string students from around the world. We hope this unique occasion will inspire students in their continuing pursuit of artistic excellence.

I wish all the best to the Academy and to all of our visitors. May your time at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University be as rewarding for you as your presence is to us.