Buffalo Chamber Music Society: Poiesis Quartet
The Buffalo Chamber Music Society welcomes the Poiesis Quartet, an award-winning young ensemble bringing fresh energy, imaginative programming, and exceptional artistry to the string-quartet tradition.
Praised by The New York Times for its “multifaceted artistry” and “brilliantly idiomatic” programming, the Poiesis Quartet is a rising force in American chamber music. The ensemble received the 2026 Cleveland Quartet Award and earned both First Prize and the Commission Prize at the 2025 Banff International String Quartet Competition. Earlier honors include the Grand Prize and Lift Every Voice Prize at the 2023 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, as well as the Gold Medal and BIPOC Prize at the 2023 St. Paul String Quartet Competition.
Named for the ancient Greek word meaning “to make” or to create something previously unknown, Poiesis approaches chamber music with a spirit of discovery. Alongside the enduring masterpieces of the repertoire, the quartet is deeply committed to expanding it through new works by emerging composers. Its 2024 debut album, as we are, features world-premiere recordings with mezzo-soprano Nancy Maultsby and was praised by Cleveland Classical for the ensemble’s “bottomless depth.”
The quartet’s recent work includes premieres and commissions by composers Brian Raphael Nabors, Kitty Brazelton, Cara Haxo, Kevin Lau, and Jeff Scott. Through the Oberlin Commission Project, a Poiesis-led initiative, the ensemble has also championed new music by LGBTQ+ composers of color. This commitment to musical curiosity, artistic collaboration, and meaningful contemporary voices gives each Poiesis performance a distinctive sense of vitality and connection.
Poiesis currently serves as Graduate Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and has held distinguished residencies at the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts and Stanford University. Join BCMS for an inspiring evening with a quartet that honors the great string-quartet tradition while actively shaping its future.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3784979-0
