Join Buffalo String Works at Lexington Co-op this May for pop-up performances and interactive lessons celebrating AAPI Heritage Month.
Catch Buffalo String Works at the BPO Community Spotlight on May 30 at 6:45 PM, featuring performances by our Advanced Ensemble and Lifelong Learners Program.
Celebrate a year of growth and music-making at Buffalo String Works’ Spring Showcase, featuring student performances from across our programs and a special collaborative showcase.
Buffalo String Works will host our 2026 Benefit Soirée on April 17, 2026. This evening of music and community is part of our effort to raise money in support of inclusive music education programs for students across Buffalo.
The event will feature live performances by Divi Rome, Nusantara Arts, and the Buffalo String Works Quartet, alongside dinner, drinks, and opportunities to connect with members of our community who believe in the power of arts education.
We’re grateful to our performers, partners, and supporters for helping make this event possible and for standing with us in sustaining access to meaningful music education.
Tickets and event details: bit.ly/BSWSoiree26
Come celebrate the season with us at Buffalo String Works’ Annual Winter Community Concert — an evening of music, joy, and community! This year’s concert will showcase the hard work and dedication of our students and teaching artists throughout the fall semester. You’ll hear performances from each team’s Large Ensemble, including traditional Korean and Brazilian folk music from Team B, as well as selections from smaller groups honing their musical skills within their sections.
We’re also thrilled to introduce a new class of violin students from Team D, who will take the stage together for their very first performances. And with the return of our Javanese and Balinese Gamelan ensembles, the evening promises a vibrant celebration of cultures, sounds, and community spirit.
We invite you to join us for this special evening of creativity, connection, and celebration. Whether it’s your first BSW concert or a yearly tradition, we can’t wait to share the warmth of our musical community with you.
Enter for your chance to win the ultimate Buffalo Bills getaway!
Buffalo String Works is raffling off an exclusive travel package to watch the Buffalo Bills take on the Miami Dolphins in sunny Miami on Sunday, November 9th, 2025. This package includes:
Round-trip flights for two
One Hotel Room For Two Nights
Two game tickets to the Bills vs. Dolphins matchup
Tickets are $50 each and all proceeds support Buffalo String Works, a nonprofit providing free, high-quality music education to refugee, immigrant, and marginalized youth in Buffalo. Through ensemble based string instruction, BSW recognizes music as a tool for helping students build confidence and leadership.
Must Be 21+ to Enter
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Come celebrate the season with us at Buffalo String Works’ Spring Concert — an evening of music, community, and the incredible spirit of our young musicians. This year’s program features festive Brazilian dances, lively Zydeco tunes, and beautiful melodies from the French countryside. There’s something for everyone! We’re especially excited to share our featured piece, “Aka (Dance)” by Wai Hin Ko Ko, a PhD Candidate at UC Berkeley. This vibrant work blends folk songs from across Myanmar, weaving together melodic patterns into a beautiful performance. "Aka" was composed specifically for our students - there are 14 orchestral parts, each designed to highlight the range of our students’ abilities - from our first-year beginners to our Advanced Ensemble. Making music together is an integral component of the Buffalo String Works philosophy! Mark your calendars - this celebration will be one you don’t want to miss!
Watch our young musicians perform Aka here!
Join us for the Buffalo String Works Soirée on Friday, March 28th, 2025, from 6–9 PM at Asbury Hall! Enjoy live performances by Comienzos, Love Supreme School of Music Faculty Ensemble, and the Buffalo String Works Faculty Quartet as well as dinner, drinks, and exciting raffle prizes while supporting free music education for refugee, immigrant, and marginalized children in Buffalo.
This year’s BSW Winter Community Concert will feature a wide selection of pieces that our Niagara St.’s Large Ensembles have been working on since the beginning of the semester, as well as small groups showcasing some new music! We will be hearing pieces like “Frost on the Plow” from Team A, “Night Shift” from Team B, and “Rocky Top” from Team C. Additionally, we will also be hearing some new students for the first time, including an entirely new Team D, as well as a new group of students joining Team A. We’ll also be inviting students from NativityMiguel to showcase what they’ve been working on in their lessons this semester, and we’ll be featuring a video of a performance of our students at Primary Hall showing off their many violin talents. We’re really excited to share all that our students have been hard at work on and we hope to see you there!
The eminent European ensemble Duo Gelland has turned the 18th-century concept of a violin duo into a driving force of contemporary exploration. Their passionate, profound and playful interpretations have earned many international awards. They revive forgotten gems with historically inspired-insight, and in close collaboration with composers, bring new scores to life - so far nearly 200. Come hear the students of Buffalo String Works perform works by UB composers with Duo Gelland in their return to Buffalo, featuring world premieres by Brian Caswell, Francisco Corthey, Chi-Yen Huang, Thomas Little, Jonathan Rainous, and Tyler Sebastian. Sponsored by the Swedish Arts Grants Committee, the Swedish Arts Council, the Civic Engagement Research Fund, and the Center for 21st Century Music
Buffalo String Works’ students from our city’s Karen community will be performing at this event. Come join the celebration!
Our BSW students will be performing around 10:30 a.m. in the Mary Seaton room.
Buffalo String Works’ 2023 Holiday Concert will be Wednesday, December 13! BSW’s West Side students will participate, with special video appearances from our NativityMiguel and Primary Hall Students. Get ready for holiday tunes and some surprises!
Admission is free. The concert will be held on Wednesday, December 13 at 6pm (Doors at 5:30) at Asbury Hall/Babeville (341 Delaware Ave. in Buffalo). We can’t wait to see you there!
Buffalo String Works' 2023 Benefit + Spring Concert, Family Values, will be held on Thursday, June 8 at Asbury Hall. Featuring ALL 165 Buffalo String Works students for the first time, this concert will have TWO world premieres! Purchase your ticket or contribute at https://bit.ly/bsw-familyvalues23. We can't wait for this BSW Family reunion!
Thursday, June 8
5pm VIP Hour
6pm Performance
Asbury Hall (341 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, NY)
Buffalo String works has provided rigorous music instruction and a creative home for refugee, immigrant, and historically marginalized youth since 2014. Come celebrate their talented student musicians!
Winner in the JazzBuffalo Poll for Female Vocalist of the Year in 2021 & 2018, Alex McArthur has become a fixture on the Buffalo music scene. A deeply versatile musician in jazz and musical theater, Vocális is also proud to have her as a member of the choir. She will be joined by some of Buffalo’s best jazz musicians.
Vocális rounds out the event with a cappella choral favorites. An event not to be missed!
BSW is featured at a new community engagement concert series at Buffalo State College!
Teaching Artists and students to perform and give pop-up lessons.
Ciminelli Recital Hall EVENT INFORMATION:
Performance begins at 2:00pm
Ciminelli Recital Hall is located on FLOOR 3 of Rockwell Hall at Buffalo State University. https://goo.gl/maps/yzZd1jQXpmdTgSh4A
Handicap accessible entrance with elevator to the recital hall located via the rear building entrance at parking lot I-30 (rear of Rockwell Hall via the Iroquois Drive entrance to campus) https://goo.gl/maps/BjxThmvJH9T8hH4q7
FREE PARKING for this event will be in the general campus lots surrounding Rockwell Hall (Lots R-1, R-2, R-3 via the Rockwell Road entrance to campus; Lots I-30, I-32, I-33 via the Iroquois entrance to campus).
More info TBA!
Join singer-songwriters David Cloyd, Sara Elizabeth, and Michael Farrow for an evening at Ninth Ward as they share the stage and perform their original music like you’ve never experienced it before–with a string quartet featuring BSW Teaching Artists. A portion of ticket sales benefit BSW!
Buffalo String Works’ 2022 Holiday Concert will be Wednesday, December 14! All of BSW’s West Side students will participate, from our newest musicians to our Advanced Ensemble. Get ready for holiday tunes and some surprises!
Admission is free—BSW Student Leaders have chosen to support Community Partners International, so donations for CPI will be collected during the concert. For more information about CPI, visit https://www.cpintl.org.
The concert will be held on Wednesday, December 14 at 6pm at Asbury Hall/Babeville (341 Delaware Ave. in Buffalo). We can’t wait to see you there!
Join our Advanced Ensemble as they perform at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo!
Visit the link below for more information:
Buffalo String Works invites you to B.S.Double YOU: A 2-in-1 Benefit + Spring Concert!
Cap off our first full in-person year of classes with us on June 1! Student performances will include two pieces commissioned for BSW: “We Will Only Walk,” composed by Mary Kouyoumdjian for Buffalo String Works and the Buffalo Chamber Players featuring the voices of families in the BSW community; and “TransPlant,” composed by Tanner Otto for BSW and the Kenmore East High School Orchestra.
Want an even more exciting benefit concert experience? We have several ticket levels offering perks such as our Queen City Booster Pack, a curated collection of coupons from local businesses, and our V.I.H. (Very Important Hero) and Mastermind levels, which include food and beverages from Community Beer Works, Paradise Wine, and Left Bank. Exclusive VIP Hour for VIH and Mastermind-level ticket holders is 5-6pm in the 9th Ward at Asbury Hall.
Buy tickets at bit.ly/bswsuperhero!
Thank you to our presenting sponsors, M&T Bank and Lawley Insurance!
BSW Students will perform alongside Kenmore East’s orchestra, featuring the world premiere of Tanner Ott’s “TransPlant.”
String Quintet performs at the top of a Holiday concert for the New Light Assemble congregation and church.
Student Performers: Teresa, Snow, Mang Deih, Mohamed, & Eh Nay Tha
Team C Cellos: Esther, Hseh Nay Soe, Lwe K'Paw, Mang, Jonathan, Kianelys, & Lulyana
Join BSW at CBW (Community Beer Works) for a Community Social event! $1 from all pints of Good Neighbor IPA sold during the event will be donated directly to BSW!
The event is on December 16 from 5-9pm at 520 7th Street. See you there!
Join BSW for our Annual Holiday Concert! ALL BSW students will be performing, including our Advanced Ensemble and String Quartet! They’ve been working hard all semester and are so excited to show off what they’ve been working on!
The concert will be held at Asbury Hall/Babeville at 341 Delaware Ave. in downtown Buffalo! Doors open at 5:30pm and the concert starts at 6pm. Masks are required for entry.
Twenty6 Productions and Buffalo Iron Works are proud to present Junior Jerry Jam, a local day of music just for kids! The day will feature songs from the Grateful Dead’s catalog, a 50/50 raffle, and a fun basket auction! All proceeds will benefit Buffalo String Works.
Student Performers: Teresa, Snow, Diary, & Mohamed
Performing quartet works as well as selections from their BSW ensembles.
Team C Performance including Team D Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy students!
Instrument Petting Zoo, demonstrations, and more!
Buffalo String Works invites you to join us for our first-annual Open House on Friday, November 19. Come and see our classes in action, from large group orchestra to small groups to Practice Partner sessions.
We are offering 8 spots for each of 2 tour times:
4:15-4:45pm
5:15-5:45pm
Sign up HERE to reserve your time! We respectfully ask that all guests remain masked throughout the tour and undergo a temperature check upon entry.
Post-tour Perks include:
1. A free beverage at Company B downstairs
2. 10% off your purchase at Daddy's Plants, also downstairs!
Small group performances, Instrument Petting Zoo, demonstrations, and more!
Our Advanced Student Ensemble and BSW Faculty perform at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin Martin House.
Our Advanced Student Ensemble performs!
