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9 August 2012
With the 47th Annual NZCT Chamber Music Contest recently ended Chamber Music New Zealand is eager to continue to support and encourage all of the young musicians who have been invloved.
Exceptional violist and former winner of the NZCT Chamber Music Contest, Bryony Gibson-Cornish has
recently been accepted into The Juilliard School, New York to study viola performance with
Heidi Castleman & Misha Amory towards a Master of Music.
Bryony has received a number of scholarships towards her studies, including the Geneveive Hustead Scholarship from The Juilliard School, a Kiwi Music Scholarship from the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee and a Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Award. The Fulbright programme of international educational exchange was an initiative of American Senator J. William Fulbright from Arkansasand has been described as one of the largest and most significant movements of scholars across the face of the earth.
To fund her audition trip that took place in February, Bryony went busking in the Christmas holidays in Cashel Mall - “I was overwhelmed by the generosity of many people passing by. I had a sign saying that I was auditioning for Juilliard, asking for support, and it seemed to work incredibly well! I loved being out on the street and talking to people. It was a real buzz to share my passion and I hopefully inspired some of my younger listeners to take up an instrument.”
During her high school years, Bryony entered the NZCT Chamber Music Contest in various chamber music groups, which were formed through Rangi Ruru and the Pettman Junior Academy. Her success in the contest gave her the opportunity to perform in large venues such as the Auckland Town Hall and the James Hay Theatre in the National Finals, in which her groups won in 2007 and 2008. Bryony has continued her association with Chamber Music New Zealand, volunteering as an usher for our concert series and also for the competition itself.
Bryony will be performing a recital on Monday 13th August - 6pm at the Jack Mann Auditorium on the University of Canterbury College of Education Campus. The programme features Brahms Sonata in Eb for viola and piano and the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola. Iola Shelley (piano) and Hilary Hayes (violin) will be performing alongside Bryony. Admission is free.
John Chen was part of the winning quartet which took out the 2001 Chamber Music Contest National Final and he went on to win the prestigious Sydney International Piano Competition. He is taking time from his busy schedule and burgeoning career in Europe to return for three concerts in August and September.
In quick succession, his performances include the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in d minor with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and conductor Radoslaw Szulc on Thursday 30 August at the Auckland Town Hall; then two recitals in Tauranga (Baycourt, 7 pm) and Waikanae (Memorial Hall, 2:30 pm) on 1 and 2 September, respectively.
This is the first time John has played the Brahms concerto in New Zealand since touring it with the Auckland Youth Orchestra at the age of 17. The recital programmes will feature Mozart’s Sonata in F Major (K533), the Enescu Sonata No 1 in F# minor, Opus 24, New Zealand Composer Dorothy Buchanan’s From the Mountains to the River (1991) and the Schumann Fantasy in C Major, Op 17.
The short excursion to New Zealand comes amidst a full schedule of activities overseas. John continues to pursue his passion for chamber music, having moved last year to Hamburg with his Saguaro Trio. Their concertizing has taken them through Europe and Scandinavia, with recent appearances at the Bodensee Festival in Fredrichshafen, Germany, playing Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in Hamburg under the baton of Muhai Tang, and other performances in Germany and Italy. In September the group reunite for an appearance in Los Angeles, and soon thereafter John flies to Shanghai to give his Chinese Debut as part of Kirsten Mason’s New Zealand Music Festival.
John Chen appears in Tauranga and Waikanae courtesy of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.
Further information is available from the presenters:
Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra: http://apo.co.nz/concert-events/chen-plays-brahms
Tauranga Music: http://www.tgamusica.co.nz/?p=5
Waikanae Music Society, Inc: http://www.waikanaemusic.org/#NEXTCONCERT
New Zealand Music Festival: www.nzyinyue.com or http://xinxilanyiyue.l60.goodnic.net/english/