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Portia Bell - Cello

Eighteen-year-old cellist, Portia Bell, from Christchurch began learning the cello at age 10 and is now pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Otago where she has earned several scholarships, including the John Steele Music Memorial Scholarship. Before moving to Dunedin, Portia was a STAR student at the New Zealand School of Music and a member of Burnside High School's Specialist Music Programme, where she won the Hugh Stevenson Cup for Musical Excellence in Chamber Music. Passionate about music, she composes her own works, performs as a soloist at various venues, teaches, and performs in ensembles. In 2022, Portia received a full scholarship as Principal Cellist of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra Virtuosi Chamber Ensemble and now plays in the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra and was invited into the NZSO National Youth Orchestra. Her chamber music groups have also won First Place in the BACH International Music Competition and a National Bronze Award at the NZCT National Chamber Music Contest. Outside of music, she enjoys painting, reading, and walking in nature. Portia is excited to compete in the Dunedin Concerto Competition, performing Dvořák’s Cello Concerto—a piece she is eager to challenge herself with and share with the community.

Ozan Biner-McGrath - Piano

Hi I’m Ozan and I am 16 years old and I attend Logan Park High School. I am currently learning piano with my Dad Tom McGrath. For this competition I will be performing the 1st movement of Mozart’s D minor piano concerto K466. I really enjoy the dark character of this movement and think that it really stands on its own when being played without the rest of the piece. I started learning piano from a young age from my Dad and then spent some years learning with John Colwill, as well as occasional lessons with John van Buskirk along the way. Outside of music I enjoy Cricket and Cooking. I am really looking forward to hearing everyone play and am super excited for March. See you all then!

Lucy Ireland - Violin

Kia ora! I’m Lucy and this is my first Concerto Competition! I am a Year 10 student at Columba College, and some of my favourite subjects are French, Drama, and Music. I have been playing the violin since I was 7 years old and now play in the Dunedin Youth Orchestra. I will be performing Accolay’s Violin Concerto in A minor. I have absolutely loved this concerto since I first listened to it and I am excited to share it with an audience! Outside of music, I enjoy dancing, acting, and swimming. I’m looking forward to performing and I wish the other competitors good luck!

Karuna Yang - Flute

Karuna Yang is 14 and she's been playing the flute for about 9 years. She loves playing football, doing crafts like knitting and sewing, and hanging out with her pets. She is a year 11 at Logan Park High School. At the moment, her favourite piece to play is Après un Rêve by Gabriel Fauré. She's been in many different orchestras, including the Dunedin Youth Orchestra. Her chamber music group won the district round of the NZST chamber music competition in 2024.

Callum Fotheringham - Oboe

Hello, my name is Callum Fotheringham and I play the oboe. I started learning in 2017 at Saturday Morning Music Classes having already learnt recorder in the UK, and have since gone on to join many different orchestral groups in Dunedin. I have recently finished my time at Logan Park High School, and I will be studying history and music at the University of Otago in 2025.
I chose to learn the oboe after hearing what it sounded like. It was an instrument that I knew almost nothing about prior to learning it, but I fell in love with it when I heard it. My favourite piece to play is probably Sonata in G by Giovanni Boni, but this changes fairly often.
When I’m not practising, I enjoy listening to music, reading, writing, and learning about history.

Orla Dunlop - Violin

Hi, I’m Orla! I am a violinist going into my second year studying music and sports science at Otago University. I started playing violin because I loved gatecrashing my mum’s violin group lessons as a toddler, and she decided I might as well start playing violin myself. In the Dunedin Concerto Competition I will be playing the Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor. This is currently one of my favourite pieces to play and listen to because I love the way it showcases both the virtuosity and lyrical beauty of Romantic era music and blends demanding technical sections with expressive melodies. When I’m not playing the violin, I enjoy trail running, cycling, tramping, mountain biking, and really anything else that gets me outdoors.

Dan Walker - Violin

I am in my third year of studying violin at the University of Otago alongside neuroscience. I've played since I was 4 when we had a violin demonstration at my playcentre in Wellington, and I love playing in orchestras and chamber music groups. In my free time I love to go rock climbing, and have been a climber since the start of high school.

Damian Dyke - French Horn

Kia ora! I’m Damian Dyke. I live in Māori Hill, Dunedin, and go to Logan Park High School. The instrument I play is the French horn and it’s the reason why I love music so much. The French horn opened up my eyes to something I was only vaguely aware of at the time I picked it up, that being music. Music has continued to be my major passion ever since, it’s my favourite subject at school and I also do many extra curricular activities that relate to it as well such as DYO and jazz band. When I’m not practicing my horn I love to indulge myself in things that are more active such as badminton. I’ve played badminton for a few years now both in school and for a club and I find it really fun. I go every Thursday for training and I also compete in the school competition that happens each year.

Bertil Feng - Violin

I am Bertil, originally from Invercargill (yes I know, unheard of). Many thanks to the organisers, I’ve grown up in this competition as this is my third time competing , I haven’t missed once since I turned 12. I look forward to this event every 2 years as it is a great opportunity to share my passion for music and appreciate others. This time I will only play one instrument as I had a very intense competitive academic year in HSFY (who would’ve guessed?) to get into dental school for 2025. I am going to play the first movement of the Mendelssohn violin concerto in E minor, OP 64. Can’t wait to see everyone in March.

Jenny Petegen Thash - Clarinet - Dunedin Concerto Competition

Jenny Petegem Thach - Clarinet

Hi! I’m Jenny and I’m a Year 12 student at Taieri College. I’ve played the clarinet for around seven years and also take lessons for the violin and piano. I really love the creativity and expressiveness of music and relish any opportunities I get to play in front of an appreciative audience. In addition to playing in recitals and competitions I'm also a member of some of Dunedin's amazing music groups including the Dunedin Youth Orchestra and Dunedin City Wind Orchestra. After school I work at Larson's Pharmacy and will be starting music tutoring on Saturdays next year. Aside from music, I enjoy studying history and calculus, drawing, reading, writing, and showing Dad memes from the physics and maths subreddits.
For this year’s Concerto Competition I will be playing Weber’s Concertino for clarinet. It is an extraordinary piece that explores many different characters, showcasing both the beautiful tone and technical fluency of the clarinet. I really love how the melody changes and develops throughout the piece, being soft and lyrical, bubbly and cheerful, fast and dramatic, and everything in between. I’m looking forward to having the valuable opportunity to perform and am excited to hear everybody else!

Betty Liu - Piano

Hi , I’m Betty. I started piano at the age of 5 and am still playing as my love for piano hasn’t changed. I participated in different musical groups at Columba College, such as choir and wind symphonia. I entered some competitions when I lived in Dunedin last year, like the IRMTNZ Otago Branch Intermediate Recital and Dunedin Performing Arts Junior Recital. I have just moved to Auckland where I am starting at St Cuthbert’s College as 9 student. My piano teacher is Tom McGrath and I will continue in Auckland with Rae De Lisle. I also love to play hockey, reading and ballet. I look forward to playing at the Dunedin concerto competition very much.

Joy Valeria Rahardja - Harp

Hi! I’m Joy. I play the harp this time although I usually play the piano too! I am currently studying at the University of Otago. I got attached to music once I became a part of a music community, travel with my music teachers, and teach awesome students! Favorite piece? I will never get bored of playing Passacaglia by Handel on the harp! I love listening to Hasselmans, Ravel, Saint-Saens, Elgar, and Kreisler. Fun fact, I play the violin too (quite rusty)!

I did not practice too much because I am enrolled in BSc program majoring in marine science. I went all-in with marine science, and I will never second guess that decision, but music? It’s like a first crush – I can’t stop thinking about it, even if I’m with the ocean. I find the two to be similar, you’ll be addicted once you dive into marine science and music, but they cost you your entire lifespan and (a boatload of money) to excel in. With my performance, I wish people in Dunedin can enjoy the blissful sound of the harp.

Ken Nguyen - Piano

Hi, I’m Ken, I play piano, and I go to Logan Park High School. I’ve been playing piano for around 7 years by now, and currently my teacher is the amazing John van Buskirk. For the last two years I’ve enjoyed playing in the DPACS, IRMT, and chamber music competitions. I got my Grade 8 in year 9, and would like to go for a diploma before I leave school. I currently play piano for the Logan Park Jazz Band and Jazz Combo, occasionally filling in for the Dunedin City Jazz Orchestra, and I am also playing in the musical band for my school musical, the Prom (buy tickets now!). My favourite composers right now are Maurice Ravel, Claude Debussy and Steve Reich. I find their use of texture very captivating and interesting.

For this competition I will be playing all three movements from Kabalevsky’s Third Piano Concerto, a fun concerto written by Dmitri Kabalevsky, who was a prolific Soviet composer and conductor. I am very excited to play in this competition and see everyone else’s performances!

Benjamin Walker - Trombone

As you’ve likely already read, my name is Ben Walker, and I play the Trombone. I’m a proud Timaruvian, and I have been studying Trombone at the University of Otago since 2023. Back in 2022 I started a Bachelor in Surveying at Otago University, but I quickly came to realized that music, rather than academic studies, was what really captivated me. Ever since then I have invested my spare time in learning about brass instruments, pedagogy, the psychology of playing, and playing in as many local ensembles as my time allows. The Trombone is one of many instruments that rarely perform as a soloist in orchestral concerts. This is unfortunate because it means that little opportunities are afforded to professional soloists who wish to create a name for themselves. For this reason, I am extremely grateful for the existence of the Dunedin Concerto Competition as it gives me a once in a lifetime opportunity to play my Trombone Concerto as it was intended to be played.

Benjamin Pickering - Bass Trombone

My instrument is the trombone, specifically the Bass Trombone, an instrument I fell in love with after being put down to play the part at a brass band camp in 2020. I just finished my schooling journey at Bayfield High School and intend to study here in Dunedin at the University in 2025. I played violin for a few years at a young age but switched it out for the trombone some 9 or 10 years ago, an odd decision that even I don’t have an answer to! I enjoy playing orchestral, jazz, brass band and ensemble music, but my listening taste extends wide, from low brass film scores and jazz hip-hop, to EDM and Dubstep, one of my favourite genres of music. This love for electronic music has fuelled my ever-growing passion for beatboxing, a niche hobby, and something I started to do during the 2020 lockdown. On trombone, I love to play the more filmic arrangements of more modern composers, featuring a heavy low brass presence, and enjoy the likes of Chris Evan Hass’s Violent Shadows for Solo Bass Trombone and Trombone Choir. I am a keen badminton player and figure skater, and hope to continue with my interests and hobbies for many years to come.

Mei Admiraal - Trumpet

Hi, my name is Mei and I play the trumpet. I have been playing since I was about 10 under Errol Moore. This is my first concerto competition. I will be playing Arban's Carnival of Venice which is very fun but technically demanding. I also enjoy playing sports.

Nikhil Rawat - Tuba

Hello, my name is Nikhil Rawat, a tubist from Dunedin who's going into my second year of University. I've been a musician for 8 years now, coming from a non-musical background but first picking up classical guitar for fun when presented with the opportunity. From there I've thrown myself into everything and anything musical I can, having picked up tuba about 3 years ago and been loving it since!

After encouragement from my previous teacher Errol Moore, I’ve decided to compete in the Concerto Competition as a way to grow as a musician and learn more about myself and my relationship with my instrument. Currently under the mentorship of Neil Favell, I’ve developed greatly over the past year and look forward to performing the first and second movements of “Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra”, composed by Christchurch based composer Tony Ryan.

Outside of music, in what little spare time I have left I enjoy baking/cooking meals to share with family and friends, as well as keeping up fitness with regular running and boxing. I also like getting creative via prop making or simply buying a fresh, new lego set!

Danny Wang - Piano

"Hello, goededag, diwrnod da. How lovely it is to see everyone again, both new faces and old... Not old-old, old as in oh you get what I mean. If you don't know who I am - I am the person who advocates that all New Zealanders should have a mandatory second breakfast at four in the afternoon, who claimed that there's a plan in the government to reboot the Otago gold mines, and the one who wrote the news article about Father Christmas being detained in Fiji for alleged emissions pollution from his sled, and pretty much everything that I just said didn't make the slightest sense in the world - and that's exactly the character, or moreso the history of J. S. Bach's BWV 1052 Concerto in D Minor: a Concerto that can't even decide upon what instrument it should be played on. This is observed in many of Bach's surviving works of which are believed to be later transcriptions. What sets this concerto apart is that although it had existing keyboard manuscripts before, it was until 2016 that scholars concluded that in no way was the original written for a decrepit old fiddle and its cohort of resin-washed, wood-n'-string retirement mates. I'm not really here to win anything this year, just to have a bit of fun and take my mind off University for a while. I will however take the chance to announce that I am soon to release the first book of a series I've been writing, so watch out for that! Otherwise, I hope you enjoy the performances as much as I will be, all the best wishes to everyone participating and I will see you all very shortly!"

Roy Zhang - Piano

Hi, I'm Roy Zhang and I'm 19 years old. I have been playing the piano ever since I was 5. I first studied with Neville Baird and later started studying with Michael Endres, who is my current piano teacher. I look forward to hearing the many other talented musicians play, and I especially look forward to performing Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major.

Sarah Pushenko - Piano

Hi! I’m Sarah. I’m in my final year of high school at Otago Girls, but I will be studying architecture in Auckland University in the following year. I began piano lessons in year 9 and have since completed grade 8 performance. I will be performing the second movement of Mozart piano concerto No.9 in E-flat major K271. Apart from piano I love travelling, spending time with friends, and art.

Lily Zou - Piano

Hi everyone! My name is Lily Zou and I am originally from Auckland. I moved down to Dunedin for university and I am currently a third year Bachelor of Dental Surgery student at the University of Otago. I fell in love with the piano at a young age and started "playing" when I was five years old. In 2021, I was able to gain a diploma from Trinity College London. Alongside playing the piano, I also enjoy baking and playing pickel ball. I look forward to performing the Mozart Concerto in March and share this charming piece of music with you guys!

Janneke Gunther - Piano

Kia ora! My name is Janneke Gunther, a 10-year-old Year 7 student at Columba College in Dunedin. I began playing the piano at the age of 4 and have cherished every moment since. Under the guidance of my teacher, Professor Rachel Cho, I have participated in the Dunedin Performing Arts Competitions in 2023 and 2024. I am excited to take part in this years Dunedin Concerto Competition. Beyond music, I enjoy horse riding, reading, and am currently learning to fly aircraft - a thrilling new challenge! Music remains a central part of my life, and I look forward to sharing my performance with everyone in this competition.Thank you for the opportunity to participate, and I wish all the other competitors the best of luck.

Emmanuel Keane - Piano

I’m currently a third year student doing a double major in Finance and Accounting with a minor in music at Otago University. I have been playing the piano since I was around 5 and a half but have no idea how I fell in love with music. I’ve lived in Dunedin my whole life and love learning, performing, and teaching piano.

Oscar Robertson - Clarinet

I am Oscar Robertson, a second year student at Otago University studying physics and music. I am playing Artie Shaw's Concerto for Clarinet, a piece is from the golden era of clarinet. As well as clarinet, I also like to play piano, as well as compose electronic music.

Maxwell Wallace - Piano

Hi! My name is Max, and I play the piano. I grew up in Wellington, and moved to Dunedin to study Music and Computer Science where I'm now entering my 3rd year. I began learning the piano at 8 years old, and I was hooked from the moment I learnt Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Currently, my favourite pieces to play are any of Chopin's Nocturnes, and Liebeslied by Kreisler-Rachmaninoff (I'm a die-hard romanticist at heart). When I'm not practising and I probably should be, I'll be spending my time kayaking, bouldering, walking in nature and finding other creative ways to procrastinate.