From the tranquil halls of Bard College to the grand stages of Lucerne and Boulder, the Poiesis Quartet is redefining chamber music with a vivid blend of tradition and innovation.

Poiesis Quartet: A Journey of Multifaceted Artistry Across Continents

In the world of chamber music, a fresh breeze is blowing through the strings. The Poiesis Quartet, named for the Greek verb 'poiein' meaning 'to make,' has emerged as a force to be reckoned with, renowned for their innovative programming and commitment to expanding the string quartet repertoire. Over the coming year, they will captivate audiences across the globe with a series of performances that celebrate both the time-honored classics and the voices of contemporary composers.

Poiesis Quartet: A Year of Bold Creations and Audacious Performances

Celebrated for their “multifaceted artistry” and “brilliantly idiomatic” programming (New York Times), the Poiesis Quartet is the winner of the 2026 Cleveland Quartet Award and the First Prize and Commission Prize recipients of the 2025 Banff International String Quartet Competition. They will perform works from the canon by Joseph Haydn and Sergei Prokofiev alongside contemporary works by Sky Macklay, Chickasaw classical composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, and a newly commissioned work by Kevin Lau.

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Poiesis Quartet

Fisher Center at Bard

Following their Caramoor debut in the Fall, the Poiesis Quartet returns with another program that showcases their fresh take on chamber music. Formed at Oberlin in 2022 and now based in Cincinnati, this award-winning ensemble has quickly gained national attention, with honors including the 2023 Fischoff Grand Prize and joining the Concert Artists Guild roster in 2024. Known for their rich, cohesive sound and adventurous programming, the quartet breathes new life into classical masterworks while amplifying bold, contemporary voices. Don’t miss the chance to experience one of today’s most compelling young string quartets.

The Rosen House at Caramoor

Experience the bold, expressive sound of the Poesis Quartet, Grand Prize winner at the 2023 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Formed in 2022 at Oberlin, the Quartet has swiftly risen to prominence, joining the Concert Artists Guild roster in 2024. Renowned for their cohesive artistry and adventurous programming, the group lives up to its name—poesis, from the Greek “to make”—with performances that forge new paths in chamber music. Dedicated to championing the voices of emerging and historically underrepresented composers, the Poesis Quartet brings this vibrant mission to life in their Caramoor residency.

Winners of the 2024 Concert Artists Guild Competition and one of the most exciting young ensembles on the national scene, the Poiesis Quartet brings their radiant energy and “extraordinary, honeyed group sound” (Cleveland Classical) to Noe Music in their SF debut. Their program, Regeneration, explores resilience, healing, and cultural memory through a vivid mix of contemporary and 20th century music. From Michi Wiancko’s lush environmental meditation and a bold new commission by Kevin Lau, to Billy Childs’s deeply personal Awakening and Prokofiev’s folk-inspired wartime Quartet in F major, this concert is a powerful journey through sound, emotion, and transformation.

Poeisis Quartet

Noe Valley Ministry

The Poiesis Quartet conclude their Caramoor residency with another bold program. Performing in the intimate Music Room, the Quartet explore queer identity and heritage through a contemporary program including the Chickasaw-inspired textures of Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate’s Pisachi alongside newly –commissioned pieces by Jeff Scott, Max Lang, Daniel Lasagna, Maya Irizarry Lambright, and Calvin Ray Shawler. This performance highlights the ensemble's commitment to social narrative and musical innovation, offering a unique window into the future of the string quartet. The Quartet’s November concert at Caramoor was chosen as one of the best classical performances of 2025 by The New York Times.

Creating something new, bringing something into being that did not exist before: that is the meaning of the ancient Greek verb poiein. Sarah Ying Ma thought it a fitting name when she and her fellow Oberlin Conservatory students Max Ball, Jasper de Boor, and Drew Dansby founded a string quartet in Ohio in 2022. And the four of them hit the ground running: after just one year, the Poiesis Quartet — which collectively identifies as queer — shot straight to first prize at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Fun fact: their final round of rehearsals was propelled by a special sense of urgency, as they had accidentally prepared according to the previous year’s repertoire guidelines. More awards followed, most recently first prize at the renowned Banff International String Quartet Competition, which also comes with their debut at Lucerne Festival. The “American Dream” of this American quartet? Giving a platform to composers who do not belong to the traditional canon. They will fully embrace that artistic freedom in Lucerne as well: with Pisachi by Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, a member of the Chickasaw Nation, and a quartet by the Black composer Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, who fused classical, jazz, and pop idioms in his music.

Lukaskirche Lucerne

Celebrated for their “multifaceted artistry” and “brilliantly idiomatic” programming (The New York Times), the Poiesis Quartet is winner of the 2026 Cleveland Quartet Award, and First Prize and Commission Prize recipient of the 2025 Banff International String Quartet Competition. Derived from ancient Greek (ποιεῖν), the word Poiesis means “to make”; specifically, to create something that has never existed before. With a focus on expanding the string quartet repertoire with vibrant new works by emerging composers, the Poiesis Quartet infuses each performance with synchronicity and verve.

Poiesis Quartet

Jul 2, 2026

Poiesis Quartet

Sep 10, 2026

Poiesis Quartet

4 - 5 Oct, 2026

Poiesis Quartet: Oct. 2026

May 31, 2026

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