About

Seeking means of discovery and expression, Carlin Ma has dedicated her life to music and the arts, including solo piano, chamber music, teaching, photography, and multidisciplinary projects.  Her pursuit has led her from performing Bach’s chamber music on period instruments to soloing and conducting on piano concerti. As of Fall of 2013, she resides in Seattle, Washington, where she will continue performing, teaching, and exploring new artistic avenues.

As a performer, Carlin enjoys playing to a wide range of audiences, from local to international.  She has been invited to play as a soloist and collaborator in prestigious venues, including the Kennedy Center, Lübeck Musik Hochschule in Germany for the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, Capella Hall and Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg, Russia, Bennett Gordon Hall for the Ravinia Festival, Seiji Ozawa Hall for the Tanglewood Music Festival. However, she finds it equally meaningful to play in the retirement home, hospitals, and age homes as part of San Francisco Conservatory’s Musical Outreach Program.

Teaching is also her strong passion. To open the world of creative possibility and deep self-expression is a life-long quest, and music opens doors into this realm. Having been the Associate Instructor at Indiana University and Primary Instructor at New Music School in San Francisco, she finds it exciting to teach students of all ages and levels. She incorporates fundamentals of Alexander Technique, martial arts, and singing into her lessons. Seeing people become passionate learners brings her the greatest joy.

Carlin actively pursues other interests, including professional photography (www.carlinmaphotography.com), hiking, martial arts, German, and literature. As a professional photographer, she implements her chamber music skills into reading, feeling, and responding to the environment. While she has photographed for larger corporations, such as the Aspen Music Festival, Ravinia Festival, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and Chinese American International School, she also enjoys working with individuals, couples, and families.

Because of her passion of different disciplines, Carlin also pursues multidisciplinary collaborations and concerts. With a belief that combining each disciplines’ strength incites the imagination to new depths, she seeks collaborative partners in all fields. Most recently, Blueprint Ensemble, a new music group in San Francisco, featured her as a collaborative photographer in their concert series.

Fostering perpetual learning for herself and others is her committed passion.

Music

Sample only... there's many other pieces (solo and chamber) that I have and am excited to learn.

Bach, J.S. English Suite #4
Bach, J.S. French Suite #5,
Bach, J.S. French Suite #6
Bach, J.S. Italian Concerto
Beethoven, Ludwig van Bagatelles op. 126
Beethoven, Ludwig van Sonata op. 10 #3 in D Major
Beethoven, Ludwig van Sonata op. 2 # 1
Beethoven, Ludwig van Sonata op. 31 #2, d minor ("tempest")
Bolcom, William Serpent's Kiss (Garden of Eden)
Brahms, Johannes Klavierstuecke op. 118
Chopin, Frederic Nocturne op. 48 #1 in c sharp minor
Chopin, Frederic Etude op. 25 #1
Chopin, Frederic Etude op. 25 #12
Chopin, Frederic Sonata #3 in b minor
Chopin, Frederic Ballade #2 op. 38
Chopin, Frederic Ballade #3, A flat major
Granados, Enrique Valse Poeticos
Haydn, Josef Sonata hob XVI: 34 in e minor
Haydn, Josef Sonata hob XVI: 50 in C Major
Liszt, Franz Two Concert Etudes: Gnomenreigen
Rachmaninoff, Sergei Etude Tableaux op. 33 #3 in C minor
Rachmaninoff, Sergei Etudes Tableux op. 39 #5 in e flat minor
Ravel, Maurice Sonatine
Schumann, Robert Fantasiestuecke op. 12
Vine, Carl Anne Landa Preludes

Glinka, Mikhail Piano Trio for Violin and Cello #1
Poulenc, Francis Sextet for winds and piano
Crumb, George Voice of the Whales for flute and cello
Dvorak, Anton Piano Trio op. 90 "Dumky"
Haydn, Joseph Piano Trio #2 in C Major
Debussy, Claude Piano Trio op. 1
Mendelssohn, Felix Piano Trio for Violin and Cello #1 in d minor
Beethoven, Ludwig van piano trio op. 1 #1
Poulenc, Francis Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano
Martinu, Bohuslav Piano Trio for flute and cello
Schumann, Robert Piano Trio #1 op. 63 in d minor
Dvorak, Anton Piano Quintet op. 81 #2 in a Major
Liberatore, John When the Pavement Sounds
Bach, J.S. Trio Sonata for two flutes, bass, and continuo BWV 1039
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus Piano Quartet KV 478 in g minor
Faure, Gabriel Piano Quartet op. 15 #1 in c minor
Schumann, Robert Piano Quartet in E flat Major op. 47

Videos

Past groupmuses (2)