My new string set (violin solo; viola and cello duet; cello, violin and viola trio; and string quartet) will participate in Composers Concordance’s Composers Tournament:
On Halloween (Friday, October 31st, 2025) at 7pm, Composers Concordance presents the First Annual Composers Tournament! Five fearless composers enter, but only one will emerge victorious. Their weapons? Original compositions for string quartet and its subsets.
The showdown begins with five solo violin pieces, performed by the dazzling Audrey Morse — but only four make it through. Next, duos for viola and cello decide who stays and who goes. Then, trios for violin, viola, and cello raise the stakes, eliminating yet another contender. Finally, only two composers remain for the ultimate string quartet battle, where one will claim the crown!
An electrifying panel of judges — violin virtuoso Lara St. John, dancer Linda Pehrson, jazz trombone legend Dick Griffin, and writer Peter Christian Hall — will determine the fates of our composers.
Since the tournament falls on Halloween, everyone — performers, composers, and audience alike — will be in costume. Expect tricks, treats, and a musical duel like no other.
The competing composers: Charles Coleman, Seth Boustead, Audrey Morse, Gene Pritsker, and Stephanie Susberich. Beyond their compositions, they’ll also take on unexpected roles — hosting, keeping score, even greeting and taking tickets! All works will be performed anonymously by the fabulous (and devilishly named) Hell’s Kitchen String Quartet.
