The National Music Museum is pleased to welcome the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra String Quartet to the stage. This dynamic group features musicians from the ensemble, including ShengHo “Ken” Wang (violin), Liya Ma (violin), Fei Chen (viola), and Stephanie March (cello). Under the musical direction of Maestro Ryan Haskins, the SCSO String Quartet combines classic Old World repertoire with the music of underrepresented American composers, resulting in a rich balance sure to delight!

ShengHo "Ken" Wang is currently a member of the violin section of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra. While studying at the University of Iowa, he served as the University of Iowa Symphony concertmaster and graduate assistant. He maintained a private violin studio, teaching lessons for Non-Majors. Wang also led sectionals for the Symphony during that time. During his Doctoral Degree studies, he performed several recitals and concerts in addition to his work with the Symphony. Throughout his professional career, Wang has regularly performed with the Quad City Symphony, Omaha Symphony, Des Moines Symphony, the South Dakota Symphony, and the Ottumwa Symphony. Wang received a Master's Degree from the University of South Dakota in Violin Performance, where he studied under the tutelage of Dr. Ioana Galu. In April 2018, Wang was a featured soloist with the University of South Dakota Symphony performing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto as one of the winners of the USD Concerto Competition. Wang's upcoming engagements include participating in music festivals/camps across the United States and a concert tour across California.

Originally from China, Liya Ma is currently Associate Principal Second Violin of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra. She has performed on stages across the United States, Canada, Italy, and China, appearing in a diverse array of venues ranging from Symphony Center, Gannon Concert Hall, and The Moody Church in Chicago; Disney Concert Hall and the UCLA Royce Hall in Los Angeles; Long Beach Performing Arts Center and Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach. As an active orchestral and chamber musician, Ms. Ma is a member of several professional orchestras, ensembles, and semi-professional youth orchestras. In addition to the SCSO, Ms. Ma is a section violin member of the Peoria Symphony Orchestra in Illinois, the Southwest Michigan Orchestra in Michigan, and a regular member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Ms. Ma performs frequently with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra, Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra, Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago, and Northbrook Symphony Orchestra. She served as the DePaul Concert Orchestra Concertmaster at DePaul University and the Bob Cole Symphony Orchestra at California State University, Long Beach. Her chamber music experiences include performances with Ensemble 20+ at DePaul University, the University String Quartet at California State University, Long Beach, and the renowned Silk Road Ensemble workshop with Yo-Yo Ma. Ms. Ma has participated in some of the world's most significant music festivals, including the Mendocino Music Festival and the Atlantic Music Festival as a Contemporary Ensemble Fellow. In 2019, she attended Youth Music Culture Guangdong in Guangdong, China, where she collaborated and performed with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble. She has also participated in the PRISMA festival in Canada. Ms. Ma received her Post-Master's Performance Certificate from DePaul University, where she studied with soloist Janet Sung. She received her master's degree at California State University, Long Beach, under Professor Moni Simeonov, and her Bachelor of Arts degree at China Conservatory of Music under Professor Hui Jin. Ms. Ma likes to cook and travel in her spare time and is a self-trained photographer.

Born in Tianjin, China, Fei Chen is the Principal Violist of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra and a regular member of the SCSO String Quartet. Previously, he served as the Principal Violist of the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra and was a member of the Dakota String Quartet from 2000 to 2010. Chen was also the Principal Violist and Orchestra Instructor of the Northwest Iowa Symphony from 2013 to 2020. Today, he performs with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra and the Omaha Symphony. Chen has performed with several orchestras across the world, including the Bergen Philharmonic (Norway), National Arts Center Orchestra (Canada), I Musici de Montreal (Canada), Beijing Symphony Orchestra (China), and Tianjin Symphony Orchestra (China) to name a few. He has won several awards, including the International Viola Competition at Orford Arts Center (Canada) and the Monteregie Competition for Chamber Music (Montreal). He has performed many solo recitals and presented master classes, most notably at the Tianjin Conservatory of Music in China. Chen has worked with many renowned composers like Steve Stucky and Marc-Andre Dalbavie and was the soloist for Mark Anthony Turnage’s US premiere of "Eulogy," a work for Solo Viola and Chamber Ensemble. Chen has participated in music festivals in the United States, including the Miami Summer Music Festival and the Aspen Music Festival. As a chamber musician, he participated in the "Distinguished Artist Master Class" directed by Joseph Kalichestein and members of the Emerson String Quartet and American String Quartet. Chen has performed in workshops and seminars with eminent pedagogues like Karen Tuttle, Kim Kashkashian, Robert Vernon and Heidi Castleman. Chen received his Master's Degree in Viola Performance from the University of Montreal, Canada, with additional degrees from McGill University (Montreal) and the Beijing Conservatory of Music, respectively. His teachers and mentors include Zhen Shan Wang, KeQiang Sui, Neal Gripp, Eleonora Turovsky, Lorraine Vaillancourt, Karen Richer, John Graham, James Dunham and Jeffrey Irvine.

A native of Sioux City, Iowa, Stephanie March is Principal Cellist of the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra and Associate Principal of the Dubuque Symphony Orchestra. She teaches cello and chamber music at Morningside University and maintains a private studio of young cellists. March studied at the Eastman School of Music and graduated with Highest Distinction in 2011. She studied cello with Steven Doane and Rosemary Elliott during her degree. She served as principal cellist in orchestras under the baton of Maestro Neil Varon. March then received her Master's Degree from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL), where she studied with Hans Jørgen Jensen. March started cello studies at age three with Joseph Shufro, Principal Cellist of the SCSO. At age eleven, she continued her pre-college studies with Peter Howard, Principal Cellist of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. By age twelve, she was performing as a regular member of the SCSO. March has performed with the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, the New World Symphony in Miami, the Omaha Symphony, the Peninsula Music Festival Orchestra in Door County, Wisconsin, and as Associate Principal with the South Dakota Symphony. She has been a soloist with the Sioux City Symphony many times, featuring the music of Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and Ginastera. Most recently, during the 2022-2023 season, she performed the Haydn Cello Concerto in D. As a chamber musician, March has been featured at the Bowdoin International Music Festival, the prestigious Meadowmount School of Music, where she also taught, the LeMoyne Music Journeys Series, the Piano Recital Series at Morningside University, and the Sioux City Chamber Music Association Series. In 2013, she was selected as the National Winner of the Music Teachers National Association Young Artist String Competition in Anaheim, CA. March's collaborations have included such distinguished artists as Grammy-nominated James Ehnes, Paavali Jumppanen, and Andrew Russo. She has also worked with award-winning composer George Tsontakis and Pulitzer Prize winner Aaron Jay Kernis. Currently, she performs as a duo partner with Double Bassist Chunyang Wang. In 2021, the duo was selected to present a recital for the International Society of Bassists Convention entitled “Low Strings Attached.” March performs regularly alongside clarinetist Parker Gaims from the President's Own Marine Band and pianist Yi-Yang Chen, Professor of Music at the University of Kansas. She collaborates regularly with Yi-Yang Chen and Shichao Zhang (faculty pianist from Northwestern University) for solo appearances.

The Sioux City Symphony Orchestra holds a rich history of cultural contribution to the city of Sioux City and throughout the region. The SCSO was founded in 1915 by local musicians and community members who recognized the need for a professional musical organization in the area. Over the years, the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra has grown and evolved, gaining recognition as one of America’s most innovative and ground-breaking regional orchestras. The SCSO has consistently provided diverse and high-quality musical performances to the community, enchanting audiences with beloved classical repertoire, widely entertaining pops and film concerts, and thrilling contemporary compositions, preserving the music of today and forging the music of tomorrow.

The Symphony has also collaborated with renowned guest artists, including world-class soloists, conductors, and composers, to present compelling and captivating performances. These collaborations have enhanced the orchestra's reputation and attracted a broad range of audiences from Sioux City and its surrounding regions. In addition to its regular concert season, the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra is committed to educational outreach programs. The Symphony encourages music appreciation among young audiences by organizing school concerts, providing instrument demonstrations, and offering educational resources to local schools. As a result of its commitment to artistic excellence and community engagement, the Sioux City Symphony Orchestra has become a beloved institution in the region. Its performances continue to be highly anticipated and draw audiences of all ages and backgrounds, showcasing the power of music to unite and inspire.

The NMM Live! Series is made possible by the USD Student Government Association and the South Dakota Arts Council through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts.