Musical Memories: The Soha Quartet

Jan

2027

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Cost: Free

In Person (view details)

The Soha Quartet

Description

The Soha Quartet is an award-winning string quartet formed in 2024 at the University of Texas at Austin's Butler School of Music. The ensemble quickly earned national recognition, winning first prize at the 2025 Music Teachers National Association Chamber Music Competition and receiving both second prize and the audience prize at the 2026 Saint Paul String Quartet Competition. Dedicated to both performance and community engagement, the quartet has represented the Butler School through educational outreach and public performances across Austin. Beginning in fall 2026, the Soha Quartet will serve as the Young Professional String Quartet in Residence at the Butler School of Music, studying under the internationally acclaimed Miró Quartet.

Mei Liu is a violinist from Dalian, China and the first violinist of the Soha Quartet, currently pursuing a Master of Music in Chamber Music at the University of Texas at Austin's Butler School of Music. She previously earned both an Artist Diploma and Master of Music from UT Austin and holds dual bachelor's degrees in Violin Performance and Psychology from Arizona State University. Mei has served as Concertmaster and Principal Second Violin with university orchestras and performs as a substitute violinist with the Austin Symphony Orchestra. A prize-winning soloist, she was a winner of the Austin Civic Orchestra Rising Stars Competition and a finalist in the Young Texas Artists Competition. An active chamber musician, she has collaborated with distinguished performers and worked with many of today's leading artists and string quartets.

Chloe Yofan is a violinist and Assistant Concertmaster of the Austin Symphony Orchestra. A member of the Soha Quartet, she has also performed with the Austin Opera Orchestra and appeared as a substitute violinist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and San Antonio Philharmonic. An active soloist and chamber musician, she has collaborated with renowned artists including Sandy Yamamoto, Daniel Ching, Bion Tsang, Zlatomir Fung, and Jennifer Frautschi. Yofan holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Texas at Austin, where she is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Chamber Music.

Thomas Gougeon is a Canadian violist and founding member of the Soha Quartet. He earned both his Bachelor of Music degree and Artist Diploma at UT Austin, where he studied with Sandy Yamamoto. As an orchestral musician, he has served as Concertmaster of the Round Top Symphony Orchestra and performed with the Austin Symphony Orchestra and Central Texas Philharmonic. An active chamber musician, Gougeon has collaborated with distinguished artists including Anton Nel, Zlatomir Fung, Daniel Ching, Bion Tsang, and Sandy Yamamoto, and has appeared as a soloist with the Balcones Community Orchestra. He continues to build a dynamic performance career while pursuing chamber music at the highest level with the Soha Quartet.

Katsuaki Arakawa is a cellist and member of the Soha Quartet. An award-winning soloist, he was a winner of the 2023 Austin Civic Orchestra Rising Stars Competition and a finalist in the 2024 Young Texas Artists Competition. As an orchestral musician, Arakawa performs with the Central Texas Philharmonic, serves as a substitute cellist with the San Antonio Philharmonic, and is co-principal cellist of the University of Texas Symphony Orchestra. An active chamber musician, he has collaborated with distinguished artists including Zlatomir Fung, Sandy Yamamoto, Rick Rowley, and Daniel Ching. Arakawa earned his Bachelor of Music from the University of Michigan and his Master of Music in Cello Performance from UT Austin, where he is currently pursuing a Master of Music in Chamber Music.