The Fischoff Chamber Music Competition concluded its final round on Sunday May 7. The Fischoff is considered one of the best and is the largest chamber music competition and many of its previous winners have gone on to major performing careers. I was privileged to attend the full competition and was very impressed with the exceptional level of performance of the young players. The Fischoff results: Junior Division First Prize - Beat 3 (percussion ensemble from MYA Highwood, IL Second Prize - "opus" (string quartet) Worthington, OH (four guys -quite good) Third Prize - Alethea String Quartet Madison, WI Honorable Mention - Neptune Trio (piano trio) Walnut Hill School, Boston MA Senior Winds Division First Prize - ViM (saxophone quartet) Eastman School, Rochester NY Second Prize - Arundo Winds Quintet Univ. of Colorado, Boulder, CO (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn) Third Prize - Element Saxophone Quartet, Mystic, Conn. Senior Strings First Prize - Ariel Quartet (string quartet) New England Cons. Boston, MA Second Prize - Kailas String Quartet Rice Univ. Houston, TX Third Prize - Hyperion String Quartet San Diego State Univ, San Diego, CA GRAND PRIZE WINNER The Ariel Quartet These are (4) very young people (ages 21,21, 20 and 21) from Moscow, the Ukraine and Israel who have been together for (8) years and who moved to the U.S. two years ago to study at the New England Conservatory. It was a very close competition (as usual) but I think the best ensemble won. In addition to a cash prize of $10,500, the Grand Prize winning ensemble performs on Fischoff tours in the U.S and Europe during 2006-2007. Nick Yasillo Norton Building Concert Series http://home.earthlink.net/~nconcerts/