Premio Paolo Borciani International String Quartet Competition

Regolamento & repertorio

Iscrizione & quota

• Apply online by 8 January 2027 at 18:00 CET. Any nationality. On 28 May 2027 each player is at most 35, and combined age at most 128. Up to ten quartets selected, notified by 29 January. Only selected groups pay €100 by 12 February and email proof. All four report 29 May from 10:00 to 17:00 with valid ID and attend the opening.
• Submit English bios for the ensemble and each member, identifying each player’s studies and teachers; four IDs/passports showing date of birth and home address; two recent rights-cleared colour ensemble photos; and two letters for the quartet. Letters must be specifically prepared by a quartet teacher from the last three years and/or one or two musicians, with at least one from a string quartet for the musician route. Add consent from any exclusive management or recording company where applicable.

Prove & durate

Video preselection · two complete works

• Choose one Haydn quartet of your choice or Mozart K. 387, 421 or 428; and Webern Five Pieces Op. 5 or Stravinsky Three Pieces. Professional quality after 1 July 2026, fixed camera, continuous within each work including between movements, no editing. Supply direct downloadable links and a declaration signed by all four stating recording date and venue.

Round 1 · Beethoven movement and a complete Haydn or Mozart

• Choose the first movement of Beethoven Op. 59 No. 1, 2 or 3; plus one Haydn Op. 74 No. 3, Op. 76 No. 1, 2 or 4, or Op. 77 No. 1 or 2; or Mozart K. 387, 421, 428, 458, 464, 465, 499, 575, 589 or 590.

Round 2 · choose one nineteenth-century quartet

• Beethoven Op. 74, 95, 127, 130 with Op. 133 or with Allegro, 131, 132 or 135; Brahms Op. 51 No. 1 or 2 or Op. 67; Tchaikovsky Op. 11, 22 or 30; Dvořák Op. 96, 106 or 105; Mendelssohn Op. 12, 13 or 80; Schubert D 804, 810, 887 or 87; Schumann Op. 41 No. 1, 2 or 3; Smetana No. 1; or Verdi in E minor.

Round 3 · Carte blanche · up to 30 min

• Any era or repertoire, works, improvisations or performance formats. Do not reuse video or earlier live repertoire.

Round 4 · one listed choice plus commission

• Choose Bartók No. 3–6; Berg Lyric Suite or Op. 3; Britten Op. 36 or 94; Debussy Op. 10; Janáček No. 1 or 2; Lachenmann Grido; Ligeti No. 1 or 2; Lutosławski Quartet; Ravel F major; Schoenberg Op. 30 or 37; Shostakovich Op. 73, 110, 117 or 144; Webern Op. 28 or both Op. 5 and Op. 9 as one choice; or Zemlinsky Op. 15. In addition play Francesca Verunelli’s commission.

Final · 6 June · three quartets, one work each

• Choose one quartet from the official live-round repertoire list that you have not performed in the video or earlier rounds. Declare the order and duration for every round on the form. Repeats are discretionary; original-score editions are recommended.

Fonte: Official rules and all set-work lists · Organizer application and rules page