Biography



Sarah Sew was born in London in 1986. She has been the recipient of many awards and prizes including the prestigious Maisie Lewis Young Artists' Fund Award from the Musicians' Company Concerts which supported her recital debut at Wigmore Hall in 2011, the 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), Lesley Alexander Award (2008), Peter Latham Gift (2009) and J & A Beare Prize (2010) at the Royal Academy of Music. As a recitalist, Sarah has performed throughout the UK and as a Concordia Foundation Artist has given recitals at St Martin in the Fields and St James' Piccadilly.  

Sarah studied with Maurice Hasson and Howard Davis at the Royal Academy of Music in London and Friedemann Eichhorn at the Liszt School of Music Weimar in Germany. She graduated with a first-class honours bachelor's degree, a master's degree with distinction and the DipRAM for outstanding Final Recital. Sarah’s studies were supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Countess of Munster Musical Trust, Martin Musical Scholarship Fund, San Martino Scholarship, Lynn Foundation and South Square Trust.

An active chamber musician, Sarah has performed internationally including at Zermatt Festival, Switzerland; Bolzano Festival, Italy; Grafenegg Festival, Austria; Cheltenham Festival, UK; Interlaken Classics, Switzerland; Gustav Mahler Akademie, Italy; Kenmin Hall, Japan; Wigmore Hall, UK; Kings Place, UK and the Open Chamber Music Session at the International Musicians Seminar, Prussia Cove. 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, Miriam Fried, Tasmin Little, Sylvia Rosenberg, the Alberni, Medici, Skampa, Vanbrugh and Wihan Quartets, and the Scharoun Ensemble from the Berlin Philharmonic.

Sarah was appointed Concert Master of the European Union Youth Orchestra for its 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 seasons. She has also appeared as Leader of the Britten-Pears Orchestra, Royal Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra, RAM Concert Orchestra and Manson Ensemble amongst others and was a member of the elite Royal Academy Soloists. As an orchestral leader she has worked with conductors such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Seymon Bychkov, Sir Colin Davis, Gianandrea Noseda, Claus Peter Flor, Matthias Bamert, Oliver Knussen and Thierry Fischer and has led orchestras at international festivals and venues such as the BBC Proms; World Expo, Shanghai; Aldeburgh Festival, UK; Berlin Konzerthaus and Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. Sarah also plays freelance with the London Symphony Orchestra (after completing the String Experience Scheme 2008/09), Philharmonia Orchestra, London Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Ensemble and London Sinfonietta.


Photo: Jonathan Kuhles