Artists

Biography:

Barry Shiffman enjoys a diverse career as a performer, recording artist, teacher, and administrator. In 1989, he co-founded the St. Lawrence String Quartet (SLSQ). During his 17 years with the quartet he appeared in over 2,000 concerts in venues around the globe, and recorded several critically acclaimed discs under an exclusive contract with EMI Classics. As part of his role in the St. Lawrence, Shiffman served as artist in- residence at Stanford University from 1998 to 2006 and as visiting artist at the University of Toronto from 1995 to 2006.

He has been involved with The Banff Centre in Alberta since 2005 in various roles that have included Director of Music Programs and Executive Director of the Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC). It was in Banff, as a young student, that he met the Cypress Quartet.

Since 2010, he has been Associate Dean and Director of Chamber Music at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), and directs the Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists.

A sought after juror, he has served on the jury of the Tchaikovsky and Montreal Violin Competitions, as well as London’s Wigmore Hall, Geneva, Banff, and Lyon String Quartet Competitions.

In addition to his work at Banff Centre and The Royal Conservatory, Shiffman he serves as Executive Artistic Director of Vancouver’s Music in the Morning Concerts since 2009.

He makes his home in Toronto with his wife Robin, daughters Lily and Zoe…. and dogs Fergus and Rosie.