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Poiesis Quartet. Photo by Eden Davis.

Photo by Eden Davis

The Banff International String Quartet Competition (BISQC) is committed to fostering career development with laureates through touring, residencies, coaching, collaborations, and recording activities. With the triennial competition, a festival in non-competition years, and ongoing career development initiatives, BISQC offers enriching experiences for both musicians and audiences, all set against the inspiring backdrop of Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in the Canadian Rockies.

BISQC is proud of the many partnerships developed with concert presenters across Europe and North America who have supported laureates by providing performance opportunities for audiences world-wide. BISQC 2025 laureates Poiesis Quartet will now embark on concert tours arranged in Europe by Konzertdirection Hampl and in North America by MKI Artists.

Current tours periods for BISQC 2025 laureates Poiesis Quartet include:

  • Europe in January/February 2026, September 2026, January 2027, June/July 2027
  • North America March 2026, July/August 2026, October 2026, January/February 2027
  • Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity for BISQFest September 2027 and BISQC August/September 2028

Upcoming Concerts

In addition to BISQC Winner's Tour concerts, the Poiesis Quartet have many other performances through their management - we are pleased to share all their concert details to keep you informed of their many engagements:

JANUARY

January 25 | Wiesloch, DE
January 27 | Weinheim, DE
January 28 | Trier, DE
January 30 | Amsterdam, NL

Past Concerts

2025

August 28 | Banff International String Quartet Competition, Alumni Concert at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity - Banff, AB
June 4  | Dresdner Musikfestspiele - Dresden, DE
June 1 | Maulbronn, DE
May 31 | Icking, DE
May 30 | Würzburg, DE
May 28 | Concertgebouw - Amsterdam, NL
May 11 | George Flynn Classical Concerts - Clinton, CT
May 4 | San Antonio Chamber Music Society - San Antonio, TX
May 2 | Asheville Chamber Music Series - Asheville, NC
April 21 | Music Mondays - New York City, NY
April 16 | San Francisco Performances - San Francisco, CA
April 15 | Friends of Chamber Music - Vancouver, BC
April 13 | Chamber Music Albuquerque - Albuquerque, NM
March 28 | Middlebury College - Middlebury, VT
March 27 | Music Toronto - Toronto, ON
March 25 | Concerts International - Memphis, TN
March 22 | Sanibel Music Festival - Sanibel, FL
March 21 | Beaches Fine Arts Series - Jacksonville, FL
March 14-15 | Community MusicWorks – Providence, RI
March 9 | University of Oregon – Eugene, OR
March 6 | Chamber Music Cincinnati – Cincinnati, OH
March 4 | Tuesday Musical Association – Akron, OH
March 2 | Pro Musica – Santa Fe, NM
February 25 | Meany Center at University of Washington – Seattle, WA
February 23 | U.C. Davis Modavi Center – Davis, CA
February 10 | Friends of Music – New Orleans, LA
February 9 | Chamber Music Society – Louisville, KY
February 8 | Norton Center at Centre College – Danville, KY
February 7 | Lawrence University – Appleton, WI
February 5 | Pro Musica – Joplin, MO
January 26 | Essen, DE
January 24 | Hertogenbosch, NL
January 22 | Cologne, DE
January 20 | Bern, CH
January 19 | Ludwigshafen, DE
January 17 | Stuttgart, DE
January 11 | Chamber Music Monterey Bay – Carmel, CA
January 8 | Southern Oregon University - Ashland, OR
January 6-7 | Friends of Chamber Music - Portland, OR
January 5 | Maple Ridge, BC

2024

December 8 | Stanford Live - Stanford, CA
December 6 | Friends of Chamber Music - Kansas City, MO
November 20 | Princeton University Concerts - Princeton, NJ
November 17 | Bochum, DE
November 16 | Steinfurt, DE
November 15 | Schwerin, DE
November 12 | Marseille, FR
November 10 | Beethoven-Haus - Bonn, DE
November 8 | Innsbruck, AT
November 7 | Friedrichshafen, DE
November 6 | Herisau, CH
October 31 | The Peggy Rockefeller Concerts - New York, NY
October 30 | Kennedy Center Fortas Chamber Music Concerts - Washington, D.C.
October 18 | Ames Town and Gown CMA - Ames, IA
October 10 | Montgomery Chamber Music Organization
October 9 | SUNY Buffalo - Buffalo, NY
October 8 | Buffalo Chamber Music Society - Buffalo, NY
September 29 | South Mountain Concerts - Pittsfield, MA
September 12 | CMS of Salt Lake City - Salt Lake City, UT
August 30-September 1 | Banff International String Quartet Festival, Banff, AB
August 19-26 | Music in the Vineyards, Napa, CA
August 18 | Maverick Concerts, Woodstock, NY
July 17 | Newport Classical, Newport, RI
July 13 | Rheingau, DE
July 12 | Mettlach, DE
July 9 | Arolsen, DE
July 5 | Fincken, DE Bad
July 2 | Lesmo, IT
July 1 | Bologna, IT
June 29 | Bologna, IT
June 28 | Munich, DE
June 27 | Bürgerhaus Pullach, Pullach, DE
June 26 | Konzerthaus Berlin, Berlin, DE
June 23 | Zurich, CH
June 22 | Geneva, CH
June 15 | Hudson Valley Chamber Music Circle, Red Hook, NY
May 9-12 | Performance Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM
May 5 | Howland Chamber Music Circle, Beacon, NY
May 3 | Huntsville Chamber Music Guild, Huntsville, AL
May 1 | Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH
April 28 | Friends of Music Concerts, Sleepy Hollow, NY
April 25 | 92Y, New York City, NY
April 22 | Carlos Moseley CMS, Spartanburg, SC
April 20 | Edmonton Chamber Music Society, Edmonton, AB
April 19 | Chamber Music Kelowna Society, Kelowna, BC
April 18 | Valley Concert Society, Abbotsford, BC
April 16 | Lyell Gustin Recital Series, Saskatoon, SK
April 14 | Cecelian Chamber Series, Regina, SK
April 13 | Calgary Pro Musica Society, Calgary, AB
March 30 | Shriver Hall Concert Series, Baltimore, MD
March 27 Celebrity Series of Boston, Boston, MA
March 24 | The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC
March 10 | University Musical Society, Ann Arbor, MI
March 9 | The Jeffrey Concerts, London, ON
March 7 | Aspen Music Festival, Aspen, CO
March 5 | CalPerformances, Berkeley, CA
March 3 | The Coast Recital Society, Sechelt, BC
February 29 ArtSpring, Salt Spring Island, BC
February 24 Chamber Music Columbus, Columbus, OH
February 10 | Phoenix Chamber Music Society, Phoenix, AZ
February 9 UC San Diego, San Diego, CA
January 28 | Eindhoven, NL
January 27 | String Quartet Biennale Amsterdam, Amsterdam, NL
January 26 | Brussels, BE
January 24Bad Tölz, DE
January 23Nürnberg, DE
January 22 | Meran, DE
January 20 | Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg, DE
January 19 | Heppenheim, DE
January 18 | Frankfurt, DE
January 17 | Trier, DE
January 15 | Rheda, DE
January 13 | Buchholz, DE

2023

December 8 | Wisconsin Union Theatre, Madison, WI
December 6 | Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, Tuczon, AZ
December 3 | Chamber Music in Yellow Springs, Yellow Springs, OH
November 29 | Ensemble Music Society, Indianapolis, IN
November 28 | Friends of Chamber Music, Denver, CO
November 13 | The Bremen Bell, Bremen, Germany
November 12 | Medienhaus der Braunschweiger Zeitung, Braunschweig, Germany
November 11 | Herrehausen Galerie, Hannover, Germany
November 10 | Bruchsal Castle, Bruchsal, Germany
November 7 | Bruckner House, Linz, Austria
October 15 | Rennolds Chamber Concert Series, Richmond, VA
October 10-31 | Peak Fellowship Ensemble-in-Residence at SMU Meadows School of the Arts, Dallas, TX
October 10-13 | Music in the Morning, Vancouver, BC
October 7 | Troy Friends of Chamber Music, Troy, NY
October 5 | Lenard Chamber Music Series, Storrs, CT
September 18-30 | Peak Fellowship Ensemble-in-Residence at SMU Meadows School of the Arts, Dallas, TX
September 17 | Herbst Gold Festival at Esterházy Palace, Eisenstadt, Austria
September 15 | KunstFreunde Wiesloch, Germany
September 12-13 | Ulm, Germany
September 7 | Lucerne Festival Debut, Lucerne, CH
August 29-31 | 64th Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition, Bolzano, IT
August 24-25 | Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh, UK
August 18-20 | Kneisel Hall Chamber Music Festival, Blue Hill, ME
August 8 | Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival, Barnstable, MA
August 4 | Hornby Festival, Hornby Island, BC
August 2 - 3 | Victoria Summer Music Festival, Victoria, BC
July 24 - 30 Bravo! Vail, Vail, CO
July 21 | Ottawa Chamberfest, Ottawa, ON
July 19 & 20 Toronto Summer Music Festival, Toronto, ON
July 16 | Under the Spire Music Festival, Prince Edward Island
July 1 | Rockport Music, Rockport, MA
June 16 Montreal Chamber Music Festival, Montreal, QC
June 10 | Hudson Valley Chamber Music Circle, Bard College, NY
May 10 | Seattle Chamber Music Society, Seattle, WA
April 27 Fortas Chamber Music Series, The Kennedy Center, Washington, DC
April 23 | San Antonio Chamber Music Society, San Antonio, Texas
March 30 – April 2 |  Eisenstadt, Austria, String Quartet Festival
March 19 | Schneider Concerts, The New School, New York, NY
February 24 | University of Vermont, Lane Series, Burlington, VT
February 19 | Philharmonic Society of Orange County, as part of the Laguna Chamber Music Festival
February 13 | Chamber Music Pittsburgh - MainStage Live

Europe

In Europe, BISQC has concert agreements in principle with:

  • Strijkkwartet Biënnale, Amsterdam, NL
  • Kammermusik Basel, Basel, CH
  • Konzerthaus Berlin, Berlin, DE
  • University of Bonn, Bonn, DE
  • Konzertverein Bozen, Bozen, IT
  • Meran Musik, Meran IT
  • Philharmonische Gesellschaft, Bremen, DE
  • Bruchsaler Schlosskonzerte, Bruchsal, DE
  • Flagey, Brussels, BE
  • Herbstgold Festival, Eisenstadt, AT
  • Festival Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, DE
  • Rheingau Musik Festival, DE
  • Stadt Fulda, Fulda, DE
  • Elbphilharmonie, Hamburg, DE
  • Wigmore Hall, London, UK
  • Esterházy Foundation, Eisenstadt, AT
  • Lucerne Festival, Lucerne, CH
  • Philharmonie, Paris, FR
  • Mozarteum, Salzburg, AT
  • KunstFreunde, Wiesloch, DE
  • Philharmonie, Essen, DE
  • Kammermusik-Gemeinde, Hannover, DE
  • Deutschlandfunk, Cologne, DE
  • Beethoven-Haus, Bonn, DE
  • Wurzburg, Mozartfest, DE

North America

In North America, BISQC has concert agreements in principle with:

  • Victoria Summer Music Festival, Victoria, BC
  • White Rock Concerts, Surrey, BC
  • ArtSpring, Salt Spring Island, BC
  • Calgary Pro Musica, Calgary, AB
  • The Jeffery Concerts, London, ON
  • Montreal Chamber Music Festival, Montreal, QC
  • Stanford Live, Stanford, CA
  • Friends of Chamber Music, Troy, NY
  • Rockport Chamber Music Festival, Rockport, MA
  • Fullerton Friends of Music, Fullerton, CA
  • Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society, Waterloo, ON
  • Chamber Music Hamilton, Hamilton, ON
  • Cheboygan Area Arts Council, Cheboygan, MI
  • Billings Symphony, Billings, MT
  • Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA
  • Port Townsend Chamber Music Series, Port Townsend, WA
  • Banff International String Quartet Festival, Banff, AB
  • Music in the Morning, Vancouver, BC
  • Chamber Music Kelowna, Kelowna, BC
  • The Coast Recital Society, Sechelt, BC
  • Kaslo Concert Society, Kaslo, BC
  • Lyell Gustin Recital Series, Saskatoon, SK
  • Toronto Summer Music Festival, Toronto, ON
  • Cecilia Concerts, Halifax, NS
  • Edmonton Chamber Music Society, Edmonton, AB
  • Friends of Chamber Music, Vancouver, BC
  • Cecilian Chamber Series, Regina SK
  • Friends of Chamber Music, Vancouver BC
  • Seattle Chamber Music Society, Seattle WA
  • Maple Ridge Music Society, BC
  • Chamber Music Society of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City UT

Meet the Poiesis Quartet

Poiesis Quartet. Photo by Eden Davis.

Photo by Eden Davis

Sarah Ying Ma (she/they) - violin, USA
Max Ball (he/they) - violin, USA
Jasper de Boor (they/them) - viola, USA
Drew Dansby (he/him) - cello, USA

The Poiesis Quartet is the 2023 Grand Prize winner of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and winner of the 2024 Concert Artists Guild Competition. Within eight months of their founding at Oberlin Conservatory, they also received Fischoff's Lift Every Voice Prize as well as Gold Medal and BIPOC Prize at the 2023 St. Paul String Quartet Competition. Poiesis has toured internationally, including in Uruguay in 2023, as well as Italy in 2024 for a residency at the Emilia Romagna Festival. As an ensemble passionate about new music, the recent release of their debut album as we are on the Bright Shiny Things label features world premiere recordings of works by Clint Needham and Richard Stout alongside mezzo-soprano Nancy Maultsby. In the 2024-25 season, they also served as ensemble-in-residence with concertnova, a collective presenting multi-sensorial and multi-disciplinary concert experiences, where they collaborated with composer Sarah Hannies, violinist Benjamin Beilman, and visual artist XUAN. The Poiesis Quartet is the current Graduate Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music studying with the Ariel Quartet. As graduates of Oberlin Conservatory, they were previously mentored by Sibbi Bernhardsson of the Pacifica Quartet and the Verona Quartet. 
 
The name Poiesis is derived from the ancient Greek word ποιεῖν, which means "to make". Poiesis seeks to program music of all styles and genres with an emphasis on platforming works by emerging and underrepresented composers, creating unique moments of synchronicity and verve in each performance. 
 

Website: poiesisquartet.com
Facebook: Poiesis Quartet
Instagram: poiesisquartet
Youtube: @PoiesisQuartet

To partner with BISQC, contact BISQC Manager Lisa Ramsey at bisqc@banffcentre.ca.