Outreach Event with the Poiesos Quartet at Haven for Hope on March 3, 2025
Around 11:00am on Monday, March 3, 2025 – we (the Poiesis Quartet musicians: violinists Sarah Ma and Max Ball, violist Jasper de Boor, cellist Drew Dansby, and three SACMS Borad members) were greeted and led through the security gates by Haven for Hope staffer DJ Jackson. We then entered the dining hall via the courtyard of the South Campus. Haven for Hope is a San Antonio organization that (from their mission statement) “offers a place of hope, love and new beginnings by providing, delivering or coordinating impactful care for people experiencing homelessness in our community”. A string quartet bringing chamber music would definitely be a change of pace for the Haven’s residents. And what a string quartet! The Poiesis Quartet gave a delightful and masterful performance the day after their San Antonio Chamber Music Society concert. The group set up shortly before lunchtime, while people drifted in for the midday meal. About 30 initially sat down to listen, growing to more than 150. After a brief introduction, the Poiesis musicians began with an arrangement of the very familiar tune of “Fur Elise” by Beethoven – this was recognized by the gathering crowd immediately- there was no better way to warm them up for what is to come. The Quartet then proceeded with a piece by Canadian composer, Kevin Lau, and right away got rapt attention from the audience with the lovely, lilting melodies. More residents drifted in as lunch service began, clearly interested that on this day more than a meal was being provided. Their attention was held as the Lau piece gradually built to a dramatic conclusion, with some middle eastern rhythmic influences enhancing the final section. Loud applause followed.
Next, the musicians played the 2nd movement of the Brahms 3rd string quartet. This restful musical interlude was a fitting accompaniment to the lunch hour and again the attention of the audience never wavered. This was followed by the Primavera Porteño, from Astor Piazzola’s Four Seasons. Max Ball, playing 1st violin for this piece, stomped his foot to add a percussive element to the piece. This was lively music that captivated the audience. The compelling tango rhythms even got some of the audience members dancing! Max was the driving force for this piece, going wild during the final bars of the piece, and the audience responded with equally wild enthusiasm.
An audience request got the group to play the “Lone Ranger” theme (from Rossini’s William Tell Overture), which of course received major crowd approval. This was followed by the last movement of the 1st string quartet composed by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson. Starting with a short swing interlude, the music then developed into an intense dialogue between the instruments. The audience again responded with loud applause. The final piece was a new composition by an undisclosed composer. It featured a sweet, romantic melodic rhapsody that was a fitting end to the outreach event. The Poiesis Quartet notably held a firm grip on the audience’s attention from start to finish with their free-flowing spontaneity and infectious abandon — especially considering it was lunch hour and likely the first time most present were hearing true chamber music. After the musicians’ final comments, audience members welcomed the possibility of a return visit to the Haven, and many came up to thank the group for the performance. One woman even had tears in her eyes, obviously moved. The takeaway from this event was that the Poiesis’ performance not only entertained the Haven’s audience, but also brought some unexpected joy into their lives through the power of music.
– Submitted by Randolph Glickman
