The winners of the fourth biennial Chesapeake Chamber Music Competion have been announced!

After a full afternoon and evening of spectacular music at Easton's Avalon Theatre on Saturday, March 27, the three Competition judges convened to deliberate and select the winners. At 9:15 pm the announcement came:

The Gold Medal, along with a cash award of $10,000, went to The Red Line Sax Quartet for a magnificent, energetic and emotional performance of works written for or adapted to the saxophone quartet. From the mellow, but intensely challenging Barber Adagio to complex and very difficult modern works, the RLSQ challenged and delighted the audience with its skill, versatility and, above all, its artistry.

The Silver Medal, with an attendant cash prize of $5,000 went to The Harlem Quartet for their performance of a joyful and complex program of classical and modern works that ranged from Ravel to Marsalis. They were also recipients of the Audience Choice Award, determined by ballots submitted by audience members throughout the day.

More information will be forthcoming in the days ahead.

For now, click here for a detailed listing of the programs presented by the five Finalists. NOTE: This link will redirect you to a listing that also appears on the InstantEncore web site, where a live recording of the Competition performances will soon be posted.