Gallery

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Boudewijn Keenan - Cello

Boudewijn Keenan is a second year music student, studying at the university of Otago and learning the cello under the expert tutelage of Dr Heleen du Plessis. He has experience playing in a number of groups around Dunedin and the country, such as the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra, including as a soloist with the Dunedin Youth Orchestra, the Southern Youth Choir and Royal Dunedin Male Choir. In November of last year, he performed as part of the Bloom String Quartet in a tour of the South Island, sponsored by the Magic Carpet trust. All of these experiences have contributed to his love for playing the cello. The Rococo Variations by Tchaikovsky is an extraordinarily beautiful and virtuosic piece that pushes the capabilities of the cello and cellist to its limits. Boudewijn is excited to bring this piece alive on stage, and hopes you all enjoy the performance.

Ben Walker - Tenor Trombone

As you’ve likely already read, my name is Ben Walker, and I play the Trombone. I’m a proud Timaruvian, and the latest brass student to begin studying music at the University of Otago. In 2022, I began studying for the Bachelor of Surveying at the university, but quickly realized that music, rather than academic studies, was what really captivated me. Perhaps my participation in the Kaikorai and St Kilda Brass Bands, the Dunedin Youth Jazz Orchestra, Dunedin Youth Orchestra and Dunedin Symphony Orchestra is sufficient evidence of that.

The Trombone is, in my unbiased opinion, the best instrument in the world. The dexterity of this instrument is just totally unmatched. With it I can play music which is serious, music which is silly, and all things in between. My piece of choice - 2nd Mvmt. of Nino Rota’s Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra - exemplifies both beauty and brawn. I hope that my performance will be as pleasurable for the audience as was my first experience of hearing it.

Skyla Murray - Violin

Hi! I’m Skyla, a first year Music student at the University of Otago, studying violin with Tessa Petersen. Having started playing violin at three years old, I’ve always wanted to perform Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto since I first heard it - this piece explores so many emotions and characters, allowing the violin to both sing and dance. I love how the melody is lyrical and longing in parts, and sparkly and flirtatious in others.

I’m really excited to have the opportunity to perform this piece at the upcoming competition, and share its many moods with the audience. Not only am I excited to make music, but to hear the wide range of music being performed as well!

Melissa Van der Haegen - Oboe

Hi! I’m Melissa and I’ve (finally) reached the end of my high school experience… my next move will be engineering in Belgium later in the year! In the meantime, I plan to recover from burnout and undertake a music paper at Otago Uni. I first picked up the oboe at age 8 amongst numerous other classical instruments, but ultimately I found that oboe was the one I really enjoyed. I now learn with Nick Cornish, and I’m looking forward to having this opportunity to play Kalliwoda’s entire oboe concert(in)o in F major and especially to hearing the many other talented musicians playing throughout the week in March

Benjamin Pickering – Tenor Trombone

Hello! My name is Benjamin, and I’m a 16-year-old tenor and bass trombonist, currently at Bayfield High School. I have been taking lessons with Paul Claman for the past few years, and have played the trombone for around 7 years. This will be my first Concerto Competition, and I hope to gain some experience from it. It will be nice to hear all the other young talents from around and about. I know we’ve all worked hard for this!
I am a member of the Dunedin Youth Orchestra and the Dunedin Youth Jazz Orchestra, and greatly
enjoy playing in both. I also play for my school orchestra, jazz band, and show band, and it’s always nice to see the new players coming up through the ranks. As for personal taste, I enjoy a large range of music, ranging from Riddim to Pop, but always enjoy playing classical music as well. My other hobbies include Figure Skating, which I have done for around 11 years, and the niche art of Beatboxing, a hobby I picked up in the 2020 Covid Lockdown. I’m always keen to learn new things!

Grace Hill - Violin

I am Grace Hill and I’m a Year 12 student at Columba College. I have been playing the violin since I was 5 years old and Sandra Crawshaw has been my teacher for many years. I passed my Grade 8 Violin Exam in 2022 after a few Covid exam cancellations. I have been a member of the DYO for 2 years, and in 2021, I performed with DYO in the first Concerto Competition final. I am excited to be performing as a soloist in this years Concerto Competition

I love all things musical and my other passions are classical singing, musical theatre and tap dancing. I have been performing at Dunedin instrumental, vocal , and tap dancing competitions and in community musicals since I was 7 years old. I am currently a member of the Aotearoa New Zealand Choir.

I will be performing Oskar Reiding’s Violin Concertino in Hungarian Style. I wish all the other competitors all the very best.

Danny Wang - Piano

Hello. I am Danny. I will make this introduction as brief as possible. I am from Invercargill, Southland. Over the course of more than a decade of musical study, it has always been an inseparable part of my daily life over the years. This will be the second time I've paraticipated in the Dunedin Concerto Competition.

This year I will be performing a piece that is quite different from what I have done last time, fast fowarding into 1940s. Bartók's 3rd Piano Concerto in E Major, composed in the last months of his life. Specifically the second movement, Adagio Religioso. Though only one movement, it is still very characteristic - the quick fast moving "blur" phrases contrasted by the large, bright chords, symbolically representing how quickly life goes by, the memories we cannot remember are shades at the back of our memory, but the memories that mean the most to us are as clear as crystal, at the last moment of his life.

This is the beauty in this piece - it is the composer's life, both in a figurative and a literal sense.

Esther 'Elio' Oh - Violin

Nineteen-year-old Esther 'Elio' Oh (they/them) first picked up the violin at age six. Since then, they have taken part in a plethora of competitions, such as the National Finals of the NZ Chamber Music Contest. Qualifications include the NZQA Scholarship for Music, and the Trinity College London Diploma in Violin Performance, which they received with Distinction in 2020. Elio’s passion lies in ensemble music, having played in the Manukau Symphony Orchestra, NZ Secondary Schools Orchestra, and Orchestra Wellington, as well as helping out in student rehearsals at their old high school. In 2024, Elio will be starting their first year at Otago Medical School. Having taken a year-long break from violin to focus on Otago University’s highly competitive Health Science First Year course, Elio is incredibly grateful to the Dunedin Concerto Competition for providing such a valuable opportunity to make music once again.

Ayla Biner-McGrath - Clarinet

Hi! I’m Ayla and I’m in my last year at Otago Girls’. I have played the clarinet since I was 8. I’ve played in the Dunedin Youth Orchestra for the last four years and participated in the Chamber Music Competition for the last five. I play in my school’s jazz band and love to go busking with friends. I have also enjoyed playing in DPACS and IRMT musical competitions since I was about six. This year, some of my mates and I started Connections, an organisation with the goal of making classical music accessible to the public in relaxed busking settings. For this year’s concerto competition, I am playing the first and second movements from Mozart’s concerto for clarinet, one of my favourite and the most famous clarinet concertos of all time. Learning this concerto has been an interesting ride, having started it at the beginning of high school with a lot of putting down and picking up again, all whilst really getting to know the solo part and orchestral/piano accompaniments. I hope you enjoy all the performances - everyone has worked so hard for this competition and I’m so excited to play my piece and listen to everybody else :) !

Cameron Monteath - Piano

My name is Cameron and I am in my final year of a Bachelor of Music in Performance and Composition, and a Bachelor of Arts in French and German. I am playing Poulenc’s Piano Concerto, a lesser known work which features much interplay between the soloist and the orchestra. It is in many ways classic Poulenc, moving away in haste from the large Romantic textures of a half-century prior, while also bearing similarities to other more subtle works for piano and orchestra such as De Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain. I am very excited to be presenting this seldom played concerto, and to be participating in this competition for a second time, this time on a different instrument.

Karuna Yang - Flute

Hi, I’m Karuna Yang and I’m 12 years old. I’ve been looking forward to (and dreading!) performing in the Concerto Competition.
I’ve been playing the flute since I was 5. I had to play a wooden stick and spit rice off our deck for one year before I got a proper flute.
I’ve been in the Dunedin Scottish Fiddle Orchestra and the DSO Academy. Apart from music, I like playing soccer, learning languages and going to the beach.

Michelle Brown - Violin

Hi! I’m Michelle and I’m very excited to play in the Dunedin Concerto Competition 2023!

I’m currently in my 3rd year of studying towards a Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Primary Teaching. I started learning the violin around 6 years ago, and absolutely love it! I’ll be playing the first and second movements of Mozart’s Violin Concerto no. 3 in G major. I’ve always loved this concerto, and it was one of the very pieces that made me want to begin learning the violin.

I’m looking forward to gaining more experience in performing and hearing everyone perform at this competition!

Wesley Wu - Violin

Hello I am Wesley Wu. Currently a 4th Year Pharmacy student at the University of Otago. I have been playing the violin since I was 7 years old. I was born and raised in Venezuela and came to New Zealand in 2015. I learned the violin and my other instruments at "El Sistema". Music is one of my passions and I think it's the best way to express our thoughts, feelings and emotions. It has become a part of me.

Serenity Hook - Trumpet

Hello, My name is Serenity Hook and I am currently in Year 13 at Trinity Catholic College. I have always had an strong interest in music having played many instruments over the years including Trumpet, Cornet and Violin. My passion for music has given me lots of opportunities. My biggest accomplishment was being selected for the National Secondary Schools Brass Band for the past three years on Solo Cornet.

I am grateful for the expertise and guidance of my teacher Paul Claman who I have been learning from for the past ten years. Looking ahead, I am looking forward to playing the Haydn Trumpet Concerto at the competition.

Bertil Feng - Piano and Violin

I am Bertil Feng, 14 years old from Verdon college. I have learnt music over 10 years, music is a part of my life. This is the second time I’ve joined in the Dunedin Concerto competition, I will perform two instruments ——piano and violin. I am not going to play Beethoven like what I did two years ago: I like to make this year my Mozart year. So I prepared the Mozart violin concerto No.4 and piano concerto No.17. Because of the time restrictions in place, I will only be playing the first two movements of the violin concerto, which is a pity. I wish to perform the full concerto with the orchestra one day. I am also a competitive swimmer and programmer competing in Nationals each year. I enjoy playing hockey, waterpolo, cricket and table tennis with others after school. I believe all of my hobbies make my life more interesting and explores amongst those of similar mind or physical interests. Looking forward to meeting all of you and sharing my passion for music with you all in March.

Sam Merton - Violin

Hi! My name is Sam and I'm a 20 year old student studying Music and Computer Science at the University of Otago. I am originally from Wellington but am down in Dunedin for my third year of study. My violin journey started at 5 years old with Lynley Culliford in Wellington, and since beginning university I have been learning from Tessa Peterson and am looking forward to continuing with her this year.

I'm excited to play the first and second movements of Saint Saen's Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor for this year's concerto competition, and also look forward to hearing the results of other musicians' hard work. I've really enjoyed learning these concerto movements over the last year and hope that you will enjoy them.

Solomo Baldock - Trumpet

“Hello my name is Solomon and I have just graduated University with a major in marketing and a minor in music. I’ll be playing the Hummel trumpet concerto. My preparations for the concert have been a bit of a challenge as trumpet is no easy instrument to play in a solo for a long duration! So working on my stamina is a key focus. None the less I look forward to performing this piece and to hear all the others perform in an awesome event! :)”

Cindy Chou - Violin

Hi! I'm Cindy Chou, a violinist in her last year at high school in Dunedin. I don't look particularly friendly in the photo, but I am! I promise!

I've been playing violin since I was five, and music has since become a long-time hobby of mine, over the years leading to other musical activities like learning piano, which I enjoy in its own right, and music theory.

The Concerto Competition has been a very good way to motivate myself, as it's something to work towards after a stasis of no exams or solo performances.

See you all in less than a month, when ideally my fingers will have a solid ✊ idea of what they're doing!

Frances Christian-Farro - Violin

I have been studying music at the University of Otago since 2017, during which time I have been taught violin by Tessa Petersen and accompanied by Tom McGrath. I am currently a violinist in the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra and often get to enjoy playing chamber music in different ensembles with my friends and fellow students/orchestra members.

Outside of music, I am currently studying towards a Diploma of Construction, focusing on quantity surveying at the Otago Polytechnic.

For this competition, I have prepared the first and second movement of Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Estio (which translates to Summer Concerto).

Despite many of Rodrigo’s works being well-known and regularly performed, this violin concerto is not a well-known one and seems to be rarely performed. It is quite refreshing to play these lesser-known pieces, as I believe it gives the performer much more room for interpretation and creativity than we often allow ourselves when playing more famous repertoire. In saying this, this concerto has presented several technical and musical challenges that have had to be slowly figured out (which is a bit of a harder job when there are not decades of great performances to watch for inspiration!)

I am really looking forward to listening to the other young musicians and sharing my music with the adjudicators and the Dunedin community!

Ozan Biner-McGrath - Piano

Hi I’m Ozan. I am 12 years old and am a year 8 student at Balmacewen Intermediate. I will be performing the Larghetto from Mozart's concerto in F major k413. Apart from music, I love fishing, football, karate, cricket, binge watching gory movies like Bad Taste and Terminator, tennis and video games. I have been exposed to music since birth and have been playing the piano for 8 years. Apart from the piano, I have been playing the trumpet for 2 years as a second instrument. I love making music at home, busking on the street, in concerts, and with friends and family. In school I like: Maths, P.E., Art, Cooking, Writing, Critical thinking, Problem solving, and Science. I have been learning the piano for 4 ½ years from John Colwill. Before that, I had been learning from my Dad. I thank everyone who has supported me over the years including friends, family, and you, the audience who has shown support by coming to hear us youngsters play. THANK YOU!!!!, and I hope that you enjoy the performance.

Abhinath Berry - Piano

I am beginning my final year of a Bachelor of Music degree, studying the piano with Prof. Terence Dennis. I am also studying composition, and particularly enjoy writing for orchestra in a Neo-romantic style. For this competition, I have prepared Franz Liszt’s Totentanz, a colourful and spectacular set of theme and variations on Dies irae, a well known Gregorian plainchant. This work epitomises Liszt’s fascination with death, and is reminiscent of his other works such as Funerailles and La lugubre gondola. It is my great pleasure to participate in this exciting new event and I very much look forward to performing.

Ayla Biner-McGrath - Clarinet

Hi! I’m Ayla Biner-McGrath. I’m 15 years old and have been involved with music since preschool, starting the clarinet at the age of 8. I enjoy playing in the OGHS-OBHS combined jazz band as well as playing chamber music with my friends and busking.
I was also involved with the Dunedin Youth Orchestra last year and participated in the Secondary Schools Chamber Music Contest for the past 2 years. I'm going to be playing Carl Stamitz's 7th clarinet concerto called the DarmstadtConcerto, a piece that is not very well known but still likeable and interesting. Stamitz wrote the piece in the 18th century, and the original parts were destroyed during bombing of Darmstadt in WW2. Luckily someone made a copy of the piece, and my score is reconstructed from this. It’s fascinating to play a piece of music that was nearly lost forever, but is now available for people like me to play! I
love learning languages and traveling, and speak German, a bit of Turkish, and learn Japanese and French. I’m currently in Year 11 at Otago Girls’ High School and my favourite class is French. Some of my other hobbies include sports, movies, shopping, reading books, and hanging out with my friends. I’d like to thank everyone who has helped her prepare for the concerto competition including my family, teacher Emily Sterk, and friends, and especially
my dad/accompanist! I’m super excited to play in the competition this year and hope you enjoy the concert! :)

Alexander Sun - Piano

Hello! I’m Alexander, a year 11 student at Logan Park.

Apart from piano, I love chess, eating, football, and epic movies (as opposed to Sophie’s preference of super ‘civilised’-what do you call them?-cartoons? Anime?).

Everyone wants to win prizes-but I think everyone can win something from the concerto competition. For me, it is the opportunity to perform a concerto and explore epic music that was previously ‘out of reach’. Performing a concerto in front of an audience and receiving feedback from intimidatingly amazing adjudicators will be a valuable experience and improve my music. Listening to concertos only gets more exciting, and the performances-whether it’s Horowitz chilling out with Rach 3 or Yuja setting herself on fire in the Prokofiev cadenza-are just as inspiring as they are enjoyable. In the group of many talented musicians, everyone will have something to share and absorb.

Preparing for the competition has been very enjoyable. Rach 2 has been a real heart-blender but never a finger-blender. I mean, Rach’s easy concerto has to be easy to learn, right? There are three whole massive solid weeks to somehow spend before I should start getting to know the piece. And I’m sure my hands would have doubled in size by then!

Cathy Zeng - Piano

Hi, my name is Cathy and aside from playing piano, I study economics and engage
in various other creative pursuits. My musical journey began at a young age, when, at only a few months old, I would get my dad to lift me up so that I could play the keyboard in our Beijing apartment with my feet. I have no recollection of this, but I’m sure
you can imagine it sounded pretty amazing?

For this competition I will be playing the first two movements of Poulenc’s
Piano Concerto (with my hands this time); though if YouTube had its way, I would be playing the Concerto for Two Pianos, as this is the top result when you type in “Poulenc Piano Concerto”.

When I’m avoiding piano practice, you can find me hanging out with my numerous
chickens (I don’t have an exact count, but well over twenty?) or three geese (yes, they are all very loud).

I’m looking forward to hearing all the other contestants perform, especially
given the range of instruments and styles (I heard some guy is playing the recorder, is that even a real instrument?)

Ellen Walters - Cello

Kia ora! Ko Ellen tōku ingoa. My musical journey started with lots of inspiration and support from family from a young age before starting violin lessons as an 8 year old. I'd like to say how grateful I am for everyone I've met along the way! I love this aspect of music as well as working across a range of instruments, genres and venues. Music can be something special to everyone, but not necessarily in the same way (or sometimes even in a tangible way) so it is a precious taonga to have in our lives. Cello was my second instrument, and it became a favourite in part thanks to playing in the school jazz band and continues to be greatly valued in my life. Last year I completed my MusB in cello performance and BA in Māori Studies, and this year I'm back in Dunedin to learn lots more while completing my Honours in Music. I'm looking forward to continuing cello with Dr Heleen du Plessis and also writing a dissertation about New Zealand women in leadership in orchestral music. I'll be back teaching cello at Saturday Morning Music Classes and also being involved with Cellists of Otago and the Dunedin Youth Orchestra. I look forward to hearing everyone's musical expressions soon!