On April 13, the 2024 Briggs Chamber Music Competition brought a total of twelve student ensembles to the stage of Britton Recital Hall. All competing groups performed a 25 minute mini-recital featuring judges’ selections and their own repertoire choices, and were evaluated on the overall impact, excellence, and connection of their performance. At a reception that evening, prizes and honorable mentions were announced.
“Every year the Briggs Competition brings together inspiring chamber music performances showing the breadth of classical small ensemble work at SMTD,” said Matt Albert, director of the competition, professor, and chair of the Department of Chamber Music. “This year, the guest judges remarked that Michigan’s top groups were playing at a level comparable to national competition winners.”
The panel of five guest judges included Heather Conner, piano (Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University); Dan Graser, saxophone (Grand Valley State University and Sinta Quartet); Nermis Mieses, oboe (Michigan State University); Nick Photinos, cello (University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music); and Harumi Rhodes, violin (University of Colorado at Boulder and Takács Quartet). Judges award first, second, and third prizes, honorable mentions, and the Michigan Prize, which is given to the best performance of a piece written by a current or former SMTD composition student.
Founded in 2014, the annual Briggs Competition is made possible by support from the Dale & Nancy Briggs Chamber Music Endowed Enrichment Fund. “I’m grateful to facilitate this work, and so many congratulations are due to all the students who performed and the coaches who worked so closely with them,” Albert shared. Winners of the 2024 Briggs Competition are listed below with group photographs taken that day.
First Prize: Trio Con Fuoco
Trio Con Fuoco is Chihwan Kim, violin (left); Jinzhao Xu, piano; and Youngeun Lee, cello. © Elisa Schultz Photography.
Second Prize: Grasshopper Trio
Grasshopper Trio is Ben Deighton, cello (left); Aleks Shameti, piano; and Nathan Landers, clarinet. © Elisa Schultz Photography.
Third Prize, tie: Liminal Quartet
Michigan Prize: Liminal Quartet
- For: Nicole Knorr, what we carry
Liminal Quartet is Matt Dardick, baritone saxophone (left); Noah Stoker, tenor saxophone; Nick Napier, alto saxophone; and Leo Schlaifer, soprano saxophone. © Elisa Schultz Photography.
Third Prize, tie: Vento Quintet
Vento Quintet is Eddie Martinez, bassoon (left); Owen Chen, oboe; Adria Cafferillo, flute; Nathan Landers, clarinet; and Andy Gonzalez, horn. © Elisa Schultz Photography.
Honorable Mention: Mia Quartet
Mia Quartet is Katherine Moran, viola (left); Lauren Mathews, cello; Allyson Cohen, violin; and Bethlehem Kelley, violin. © Elisa Schultz Photography.
Honorable Mention: Renaissance Quartet
Renaissance Quartet is DaJuan Brooks, basset horn and clarinet (left); Daniel Millan, clarinet; Johnny To, clarinet; and Ben Taylor, bass clarinet. © Elisa Schultz Photography.