Press

17 November 2023: Minnesota Public Radio

Performance Today, from YourClassical and distributed by American Public Media, has announced five young musicians who have been identified for the 2023-2024 Performance Today Young Artists in Residence Program (PTYA).  

Performance Today is the most popular, award-winning classical music radio program in the country. Performance Today works with the best conservatories from around the country to identify their top talent to take part in the PTYA Program each year.  

Read more here.

21 June 2023 Dallas International Violin Competition: Final round - Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2 with Dallas Chamber Symphony

"The $1,500 second prize was awarded to Sarah Ying Ma... Her impassioned account was gripping start to finish. She commanded that rarest of effects, pianissimos at the threshold of audibility that still radiated intensity."

Research project profile: Deconstructing Artist as Citizen - Limits and Possibilities in Conservatory Education

This project assesses the experiences of college-level conservatory students of classical music at The Juilliard School in New York City to evaluate the limits, potential, and effectiveness of the existing conservatory system. My long-term work as a researcher and as a performing violinist seeks to counter that narrative and identify and implement solutions to improve our artistic livelihoods.

15 November 2023: Oberlin, OH

"The programming [of] traditional classical music [does] not prioritize queer repertoire, queer music, or queer performers. They don’t really talk about queer approaches to music, or any marginalized approach, because there’s an ethic to the way marginalized people perform... Collaboration [is] inherent to us because it is how we always found belonging as queer people. ...Our identities give us a specific approach to music, and we play music in a different way because of that... [It is] rooted in something community-based... that isn’t really seen in this standard representation of classical music." -Interview with Sarah Ma

"Sarah's life has always revolved around music, as she recognized her passion for it at a young age. Even as a six-year-old, she would wake up early every morning to practice the violin. As she grew older, she found ways to give back to her community through her musical talents."

Read more here.

30 October 2023: Poiesis Quartet in Chicago, IL @ Dame Myra Hess Series

"The players created marvelous interplay, able to soar at one moment and then quickly shift tempo and dynamics into an entirely different mood... These young players delivered slashing strains and gentle cries with equal force and artistry, all leading to the punchy conclusion. It was a striking and memorable performance which would be considered fine work by a quartet with far more experience, so it was an absolute delight to hear such a young ensemble acquit themselves with such poise and panache. They are an ensemble to watch."

3 October 2023: Poiesis Quartet in Rocky River, OH

"The [Poiesis] Quartet produced an extraordinary, honeyed group sound... now reconfigured with Ma on first violin and Ball on second, were agile collaborators, pivoting from old-timey charm to moments of genuine tenderness."

2 November 2016: Manhattan School of Music

"The last performer of the day was Sarah Ma, 13, the recent prizewinner of the MSM Philharmonic concerto competition. Sarah played the finale movement of the Tchaikovsky concerto, with ferocity and musical maturity. 'Guess what…I have nothing,' was Sarah [Chang]'s only comment. I guess she was impressed as the rest of us!"

12 March 2014

"Seeing her diminutive stature, I expected, at best, a competent child. I could not have been more wrong.

Sarah is a true prodigy.  It is amazing that she has reached this level of technical proficiency and musicality after only five years of study.

Sarah played with a radiant innocence at a ferocious clip that an adult would be hard-pressed to match... Her performance was buoyant and ebullient, with Mendelssohnian effervescence and a tasteful balance between the music’s classic and romantic elements. Her phrasing was unerring. Sarah has fleet fingers, a rich tone, and a warm vibrato. Her incisive bow control is very advanced. Her command of up-bow staccato defies belief. I found her inspiring playing and interpretation to be extraordinary for her age; indeed, for a violinist of any age. It was a tantalizing glimpse of potential future greatness."