The University of California at Santa Cruz invites high-school seniors to compete in a String Competition to form a student resident string quartet. Each winner will receive a scholarship equal to four years of full in-state college fees (approximately $17,450). While attending UCSC, quartet members will participate in department-sponsored performances and public concerts and receive coachings from top-level professional players. An application and cassette must be received by October 8, 1999. For more information, call the program coordinator at (831) 459-2164, e-mail rse@cats.ucsc.edu, or visit the department's Web site at arts.ucsc.edu/music.

The Sphinx Competition, designed to encourage string playing among young African-Americans and Latinos, will be held February 24–27, 2000, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Eligibility is limited to African-American and Latino students under age 18 for the junior division or age 18 to 25 for the senior division. The deadline for applications and tapes is December 1, 1999. For more information, write to the Sphinx Competition at 1607 Anderson, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, or visit www.comnet.org/sphinx.

The Corpus Christi Young Artists' Competition will take place February 25–27, 2000, in Texas. Prizes will be awarded in several divisions, including College Strings and Pre-College Strings. Entries from performers under age 26 will be accepted until December 3, 1999; for an application, write to Mary Mayhew at 702 Harrison, Corpus Christi, TX 78404, or call (361) 852-5829.

The Eighth London International String Quartet Competition will be held April 10–16, 2000. First prize is £8,000 ($12,800), concerts in the U.K. and France, and a page on the competition's Web site for three years; substantial prizes will also be awarded to the second– through fifth-place winners, in addition to three other £1,000 awards. The competition, held every three years, aims to discover and encourage outstanding young talent. Applications must be received by December 1, 1999. For more information, write to the competition administrator, Dennis Sayer, at 62 High St., Fareham, Hampshire PO16 7BG, England; telephone (44) 1329-283603; or go to ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/lsqf.

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