KOA STRING QUARTET
About Us
The Koa String Quartet is composed of violinists Kisa Uradomo (Maui, Hawai’i) and Leah Pernick (Metro Detroit, Michigan), violist Thomas Chafe (Annapolis, Maryland), and cellist Heewon Lee (O'ahu, Hawai’i). The quartet originated in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where they were mentored by University of Michigan faculty Matt Albert, Caroline Coade, and Kathryn Votapek. In the fall of 2024, Koa started their fellowship at the University of Colorado Boulder as the Graduate String Quartet-in-Residence, studying with the Takács Quartet. They were the first prize winner for the 2024 Ekstrand Competition at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Koa is invested in fostering musical engagement with students and presenting high quality classical music for community audiences. In addition to performing classical string quartet repertoire together, Koa also performs diverse repertoire such as film scores, pop covers, and folk music. During their time as a quartet, they have prioritized their goals through their educational residency at Bravo!Vail and their work as the Quartet-in-Residence at the Hana Hou Music Program.
The name “Koa” comes from the tree in the Hawaiian Islands, and the wood symbolizes strength and courage.
