ACMP is happy to announce its newest team member, violist Joy Hsieh, who is working with us on event planning for the fall semester through the Eastman School of Music’s Institute for Music Leadership Catherine Filene Shouse Arts Leadership Certificate of Achievement (ALP) program. Joy is a doctoral candidate in viola performance at Eastman, studying with Phillip Ying from the Ying Quartet.

Those of you in the Rochester and Boston metropolitan areas will have a chance to meet Joy at one of the in-person events she is planning: the ACMP x ECMS Play-In on Sunday, October 25 in Rochester, NY and the masterclass with members of the Borromeo Quartet in Boston on December 6 (exact time and location TBD – stay tuned – even if you are also a violist!)

I interviewed Joy about her background, love of chamber music and what she is doing for us at ACMP.

Where did you grow up and how did you first discover the viola?

I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. I first started playing the violin at the age of three, and then switched to the viola in sixth grade. As I continued playing, I fell in love with the sound of the instrument and knew that the viola was something I wanted to continue pursuing. 

Can you remember any pivotal moment from your youth that inspired you to pursue a career in viola performance?

I think one pivotal moment was during my time playing in the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. After one of our concerts, I realized that I wanted to pursue a career in viola performance. Seeing people come to our concerts and appreciate the art and music we were creating was meaningful to me. Knowing that the music we played could move people’s hearts made me realize how powerful music can be and that I wanted to dedicate my life to creating that experience for others. 

Where and when did you fall in love with chamber music?

I fell in love with chamber music when I played it at summer camp. I remember attending a summer camp at Florida State University (FSU) in 2013, where we played a Mozart string quartet. I loved the way the music sounded and also the collaborative work it took to bring the music to life. I remember thinking that  I just had to play chamber music from then on. 

Every summer after that, I tried to attend chamber music festivals, and my love for chamber music continued to grow. Each experience showed me something new about collaboration, listening, and what it means to create music together. 

Who were some of your most influential teachers and chamber music coaches?

There’s so many! My most influential teachers have been Marilyn Seelman, Maggie Snyder, David Fung, Dimitri Murrath, Carol Rodland, Mai Motobuchi, and Phillip Ying. They have all impacted my journey as a violist and as a person, whether I studied with them during the school year or over multiple summers.  

As for chamber music coaches, Merry Peckham, Kim Kashkashian, Paul Katz, and the Borromeo String Quartet have all been major influences on my chamber music journey. They have changed the way I hear, breathe, think, and live with music. I would not be where I am today without their guidance and pedagogy. 

What are some of your favorite pieces from the chamber music repertoire for viola?

Some of my current favorite pieces are Arnold Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht, Op, 4, Benjamin Britten’s String Quartet No.1 and his Three Divertimenti, Bela Bartók’s String Quartet No. 4, and Ludwig van Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat major, Op 127. 

What was one of your most inspiring moments playing chamber music?

One of the most inspiring parts of playing chamber music is getting to play in a group where everyone is passionate about and deeply invested in the music. There are moments when ”we’re all thinking and breathing as one” where we are completely connected and able to share and collaborate on our musical ideas with the audience. 

A string quartet sound is unlike anything else. The power, depth, independence of the sound it creates with the music is always so inspiring to me. 

Another meaningful part is what happens after the concert – getting to talk with audience members, hear their stories about music, and learn what the programming meant to them. Those conversations remind me that the music we create can have a lasting impact beyond the concert itself.

How did you first get interested in chamber music education?

I became interested in chamber music education when I went to the New England Conservatory for my Master’s and Graduate Diploma degree. I was involved with the Community Partnerships and Performances department, where I had the opportunity to do community engagement work with a string quartet. That experience broadened my perspective on how a string quartet and chamber music can be used as tools for music education and community engagement. 

From that point on, I made it a mission of mine to become more involved with chamber music and to explore how it can be used to teach people about the art of string quartet playing, chamber music, and working collaboratively with others. I have also become interested in researching the pedagogy of chamber music and how approaches to teaching chamber music have changed over the decades.

What kinds of experiences have you had so far with adult amateur chamber musicians?

In the past I’ve worked with the Boston Music Hope Project in Boston where medical workers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) could take lessons with students from the New England Conservatory (NEC). I helped run the chamber music play-through classes with them, which was a really rewarding experience.

I also really enjoy working and playing with adult amateur chamber musicians. Whenever I have the opportunity to play with or work with them I do. I enjoy seeing how much joy and curiosity adult amateur musicians bring to chamber music. 

What are you doing for ACMP as part of your internship through the Eastman School’s Institute for Music Leadership Catherine Filene Shouse Arts Leadership Certificate of Achievement (ALP) program?

As part of my internship with ACMP, I am helping to organize two in-person events. The first is a Rochester Play-In on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at the Eastman School of Music. The event will bring adult amateur chamber musicians of all instruments and playing levels from Rochester and the surrounding areas together to play music, meet other musicians, and build community through chamber music. 

The second event is a masterclass in Boston on December 6, with Nicholas Kitchen and Yeesun Kim of the Borromeo String Quartet, faculty-in-residence at the New England Conservatory, where I got my Masters degree. They will be working with adult amateur chamber musicians, giving them the opportunity to receive coaching and learn from an ensemble that has had such a significant impact on chamber music education and performance. 

Both events connect closely with my interests in chamber music education, community engagement, and creating opportunities for musicians of different backgrounds and experience levels to come together and create music.

Hear Joy play the first movement of Benjamin Britten’s String Quartet No. 2, Op. 36 with the Meraki Quartet, with whom she played as a student at the New England Conservatory in 2023: