Messiah Ahmed, a 24-year-old violinist from Dallas, Texas, began studying the violin at age five and was accepted into the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s Young Strings Program, a nonprofit that mentors young and underrepresented string musicians. During high school, he distinguished himself in competitions, winning the Friedlander Concerto Competition and earning a spot in Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra in 2019, where he returned in 2024 as a featured All-Star performer. He also served as associate concertmaster of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, collaborating with conductors Larry Rachleff and JoAnn Falletta, and artist-in-residence Sarah Chang.

Messiah earned his Bachelor’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music under Patinka Kopec, where he and his ensemble won the Fuchs Chamber Music Competition in 2021 under the guidance of Laurie Carney of the American String Quartet. He went on to complete his Master’s degree at the Juilliard School in 2025, studying with Laurie Smukler and working closely with the Juilliard String Quartet through their chamber seminar led by Merry Peckham. He has also been a fellow at the Music Academy of the West, performing with conductors Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Anthony Parnther, and David Robertson, and studying with Martin Beaver, Glenn Dicterow, and Nathan Cole.

A passionate chamber musician, Messiah is a member of the BECA Quartet, with whom he participated in the Juilliard Honors Chamber Music Program. His performances have been featured on WQXR, and he has appeared at Los Angeles’s Array Festival for the debut of Ava DuVernay’s Origin. Beyond classical music, Messiah draws inspiration from soul, R&B, and jazz, collaborating with artists including Lauryn Hill, Terence Blanchard, and Damien Sneed—reflecting his commitment to musical versatility and storytelling across traditions. Messiah plays on a Pierre Joseph Hel violin, circa 1878.

“None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the help of my teachers and my family’s unyielding support of my career. As I move forward into the next chapter of my life, I feel that it’s now my responsibility to give back to the students around the country just like me and to advocate for diversity in the fine arts. I am nowhere near done learning, and I eagerly intend to go back and share what I've learned with passionate young artists.”