Sarah Ma & The Poiesis Quartet
Congratulations to Sarah Ma (AQF ‘19) and her string quartet The Poiesis for the recognitions and awards received this year!
In June 2023, Sarah received the 2nd Prize at the inaugural Dallas International Violin Competition in Dallas, TX as the youngest competitor. Her performance of the Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2 with the Dallas Chamber Symphony received this review from the Dallas Morning News: "...her impassioned account was gripping start to finish. She commanded that rarest of effects, pianissimos at the threshold of audibility that still radiated intensity."
Winners of the 2023 Dallas International Violin Competition, presented by the Dallas Chamber Symphony: L to R, Jaewon Wee (first prize and audience choice award), Sarah Ying Ma (second prize) and Chaewon Kim (third prize) at Moody Performance Hall on June 20, 2023.(Mitch Lazorko / Dallas Chamber Symphony)
In May 2023, Sarah’s string quartet, The Poiesis Quartet founded at Oberlin Conservatory, swept at the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, winning Grand Prize, Gold Medal, and Lift Every Voice prizes.
The Poiesis Quartet: Comprised of violist Jasper de Boor, cellist Drew Dansby, and violinists Sarah Ma and Max Ball.
The Poiesis Quartet was awarded a total of $21,500 USD prize money, performances in Italy and New York in 2024, a recording with Guarneri Hall in Chicago, and a Midwest tour this Fall season!
Learn more about this great achievement in The Strad and The Violin Channel
In April 2023, the Poiesis Quartet was awarded the Gold Medal and BIPOC Prize at the St. Paul String Quartet Competition in St. Paul, MN: "Their... performances were exemplary and the jury was eager to award them top honors." The award included prize money of $2,800 USD.
Check out their website: www.poiesisquartet.com