Biography

Sarah Sew was born in London in 1986. She has been the recipient of many awards and prizes including the prestigious Emanuel Hurwitz Award for an outstanding UK violinist from the Philharmonia Orchestra/Martin Musical Scholarship Fund (2009), First Prize in the Wessex String Prize (2005), Winner of the Central England Ensemble Concerto Competition (2008) and the D M Lloyd Prize (2006), Peter Latham Gift (2009) and San Martino Scholarship (2009) at the Royal Academy of Music. Formerly a student of the late Howard Davis, she graduated from the Bachelors Programme at the RAM with First Class Honours and the Lesley Alexander Award for excellence in performance. Sarah's current postgraduate studies with Maurice Hasson have been supported by scholarships from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Countess of Munster Musical Trust, Martin Musical Scholarship Fund and South Square Trust. As a soloist Sarah has performed at Young Artists Recital Series throughout the country and, with orchestra, has performed the concerti of Bruch, Elgar, Mendelssohn, Mozart (A major) and Vivaldi (Four Seasons). She has recently been selected as an artist of the Concordia Foundation for their 2010 recital scheme. As a chamber musician, Sarah has performed at London’s most prestigious recital venues, including the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, Kings Place and St John's Smith Square, as well as internationally, at Zermatt Festival, Switzerland; Bolzano Festival, Italy; Grafenegg Festival, Austria; Cheltenham Festival, UK; Accademia Gustav Mahler, Italy; Kenmin Hall, Japan and  the Open Chamber Music Session at the International Musicians Seminar, Prussia Cove. At the invitation of the European Parliament, Sarah’s quartet gave a performance in Brussels broadcast on international television for the 50th Anniversary of the European Commission in the presence of European presidents and delegates. In 2009 she recorded composer/pianist Stephen Hough’s new string sextet, commissioned by the National Gallery. Sarah has benefited from playing in the masterclasses of Ivry Gitlis, Zvi Zeitlin, Thomas Brandis, Tasmin Little, Sylvia Rosenberg, the Alberni, Medici, Skampa, Vanbrugh and Wihan Quartets, and the Scharoun Ensemble from the Berlin Philharmonic. Sarah has appeared as leader of many orchestras including the Royal Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra, Concert Orchestra and Manson Ensemble; the University of London Symphony Orchestra and the Pleiades Ensemble. As an orchestral leader she has performed at all the major London concert halls, including the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall and Barbican. She has been a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra since 2006 and also plays with the London Symphony Orchestra (String Experience Scheme 2008/09 and extra), London Chamber Orchestra and elite Royal Academy Soloists. Sarah's orchestral work has enabled her to tour internationally, including performances at the BBC Proms; Musikverein, Vienna; National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing; Berlin Konzerthaus; Tonhalle, Zurich; Seoul Arts Centre; La Scala, Milan and Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. She has played under many eminent conductors, notably, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Herbert Blomstedt, Semyon Bychkov, Sir Colin Davis, Cristoph von Dohnanyi, Thierry Fischer, Daniel Harding, Oliver Knussen, Vasily Petrenko and Michael Tilson-Thomas. Sarah plays a 1780 Joseph Gagliano violin, kindly on loan to her from the Royal Academy of Music.