Banff Centre is Barry Shiffman

Barry Shiffman was eleven years old when he was accepted into a Banff Centre music program, but it was too costly to fly from Toronto to Calgary, so his family declined the offer—a scholarship changed their minds, and changed Barry’s life.

Barry returned to Banff Centre masterclasses, and then, along with three fellow Banff Centre alumni, co-founded the St. Lawrence String Quartet. Their goal was to compete in the triennial Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC)—the holy grail for string quartets. In 1992, the St. Lawrence quartet qualified for BISQC, advanced to the finals, and won first prize—propelling their global career.

Now, as director of the Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC) and the affiliated festival that takes place in non-competition years, Barry is proud to share his passion for the art form with emerging artists and passionate audiences from across Canada and the world.

Learn more about his story.