Biography
Sarah Fouhy (b. 1999) is a composer from Auckland, New Zealand. She began her career as a composer while she was still residing in Auckland, where she received a commission from Auckland Choral in 2017, after placing first in the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s National High School Composition Competition in 2016.
Sarah graduated from California Institute of the Arts in 2021 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Music Composition. Her inspiration is drawn from her own life experiences and environments around her, as she explores external forces that affect society and the human psyche. During her time at CalArts, Sarah was awarded with the Lillian Disney Scholarship, and in her final year became a named scholar, receiving the prestigious Steven D. Lavine and Janet Sternburg scholarship. Sarah also pursued an education in Audio Engineering and Audio Production during her time at CalArts between 2018-2021.
Sarah primarily composes for choir, orchestra, chamber ensembles and soloists. During her time in the USA she studied under renowned composers; Nick Deyoe, Michael Jon Fink, Karen Tanaka and Sara Cubarsi. She studied Audio Engineering under the tutelage of John Baffa. Sarah has had World Premiers in both New Zealand and the USA, and her works have been recorded by world-renowned musicians including The Isura String Quartet, Erika Duke-Kirkpatrick, Andrew McIntosh, Derek Stein, and The CalArts Ensemble.
In 2023 she was the Young Composer in Residence for the Auckland Youth Choir. Sarah currently resides in New Zealand and is available on an ongoing basis for commissions.