Violin
A native of Montreal, Violinist Sai-Ly Heng Acosta studied with Denise Lupien and Thomas Williams at McGill University in Montreal with a full scholarship, and continued at the University of Southern California at the Thornton School of Music with full scholarship under the tutelage of Robert Lipsett where she received her Advanced Studies Certificate in violin performance. She received numerous awards and played in many festivals including the Cebreros Music Festival in Spain, the Fairbanks Music Festival in Alaska, the Domaine Forget de Charlevoix International Music Academy and performed for the National Academy Orchestra of Canada for the Brott Music Festival in Hamilton, Canada.
In 2002, she became a member of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra and settled in California for the next 20 years where she performed as section violinist, Acting Principal and Assistant Principal Second violinist. She has been a regular performing substitute with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, the Long Beach Grand Opera, the San Diego Opera Orchestra, the San Diego Chamber Orchestra, the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, and the Pageant of the Masters Orchestra. She has served as Concertmaster for the Concordia Masterworks Orchestra and the Long Beach Chorale.
As a New Hampshire resident, she was Concertmaster for the Manchester Choral Society Orchestra, Co-Concertmaster and soloist with the Eleva Chamber Players in 2023 and is now appointed Principal Second violinist, Concertmaster and soloist with the Pemigewasset Choral Society, Concertmaster for the Plymouth State University Theater Orchestra, Concertmaster for the New Hampshire Master Chorale and Concertmaster for the Gilford Community Church Orchestra. She also plays with the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra and was a substitute with the New Hampshire Music Festival Orchestra in the Summer of ’23 and ‘24.
As a sought after studio musician, she travels to Los Angeles for various performances and recording projects. She now resides in Plymouth, New Hampshire with her husband and Cellist John Acosta and her three children.
