Young Musicians’ Recital

On Sunday 30th October 2022 we, at Northbridge, had a concert of ten young musicians, all of whom have won competitions locally (in Auckland), and throughout New Zealand. One of the ten, Elaine Zhang, had even been invited to perform at the Aroha String Quartet International’s Music Academy.

It was a pity that no cameras were allowed at this wonderful display of talents but luckily for us some of the ten musicians had recordings in YouTube and we can share these videos later in this article.

The Order of the recital that day can be viewed hereunder:

(1) Zack Li is a 10 year-old pianist from ACG College Parnell, Year 6. He played Gustav Lange’s “Thine Own” for us.

Gustav Lange - Thine Own (Dein Eigen) Piano Solo [Kawai CN34] https://youtu.be/2Dq7ujuOwOI

(2) Romy (Yintong) Jiang is a twelve year-old violinist from Kristin School, Year 8. Romy won the Award for the “Most Promising Your Performer” in New Zealand for this year, 2022. She played “Meditation” by Jules Massenet accompanied in piano by her younger brother Elvin Jiang, aged ten.

This photograph is of another violinist Clara-Jumi Kang, playing the same piece of music (“Meditation” by Jules Massenet) with such emotional effects in YouTube’s video https://youtu.be/gw6vB_hUPKE This was played in the year 2018, 6th April 2018, at the Symphonic Festival 2018, Seoul Arts Center, accompanied by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.

(3) Peter Hao Tian Hu is an eleven-year-old pianist from St. Kentigerns College Year 7, and he played “La Campanella” by Franz Liszt. https://youtu.be/H1Dvg2MxQn8

Source: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/te-awamutu-courier/news/te-awamutu-performing-arts-competition-pianoforte-section-tickles-the-ivories/SQNVA2FQBALUKP3NQDKHRPTFL4/ below:

Peter Hu stood there, third from left, was the youngest awardee in the recently (October 1st and 2nd) Te Awamutu Performance Arts Competition. Alex Liu, was the overall winner of the day, the runner-up was Fiona Yoo, and second runner-up was our 11-year-old Hao Tian Peter Hu. Take a look at the charming smile of Peter Hu and this smile was so touching. Highly commended was Fergus Byett. Alex Liu also won the Mozart Recital sponsored by S Mc Consulting (Simon McVie), with the second place going to Hao Tian Peter Hu again.

Peter Hu also won the recently held 2022 50th Jubilee Classical Award (miniature) 12 Years & Under of the South Auckland Performing Arts Competition Society Inc.

(4) Kate Xu, Cellist, a student of St. Cuthbert’s College, attained her ATCL Cello Examination in the year 2021 when she was only ten years old. https://youtu.be/TRBe2eB83bM For this recital, she played Edward Elgar’s “Salut D’Amour” accompanied by ACG Rosemary Song. https://youtu.be/P1gC8-nGTAw

Read about the ten essential pieces of composition by Edward Elgar with this link. https://www.udiscovermusic.com/classical-features/best-elgar-works/

(5) William Xu, an eleven-year-old pianist who is also skilled in the ‘Cello. He played Sergei Rachmanianov’s “Polichinelle Op 3 No. 4 at this event. https://youtu.be/8Y-UJRSHRDE

(6) The trio group of Peter Hu, Angel Tao and Kate Xu then played Saint Saens “Le Cigne” (The Swan) https://youtu.be/wB9VvEubvSU and Johann Sebastian Bach/Charles Gounod’s “Ave Maria” https://youtu.be/PCqXpgmkgkM .

(7) Elaine Zhang, a thirteen-year-old student at Pinehurst School, played Frederic Chopin’s “Fantaisie Impromptu” at the piano next. She has won various awards including a Distinction at the ABRSM Performance Grade 8 Examination recently. ABRSM stands for Associated Board of the Royal School of Music and is one of five examination boards for music. https://youtu.be/Gus4dnQuiGk https://youtu.be/A6cbCWzHXkg

(8) Angel Tao is an eleven-year-old violinist who attends the Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland. She played a wonderful piece of music, “Schindler’s List” composed by John Williams, accompanied by Rosemary Song. https://m.facebook.com/watch/?v=616783003031742&paipv=0&eav=AfZ9d7fWA_cu4dbwpyPAhs2sLpO6cbKPTZaFHtP89Y1mFksoIMToGu5Najgklz4HpL0&_rdr

John Towner Williams was an American composers who was famous in composing many of the key theme music pieces for popular movie films. Here, we heard the composition “Schindler’s List” as played by our young Violinist Angel Tao. https://youtu.be/YqVRcFQagtI

Schindler’s List is the story of a German industrialist who had saved the lives of more than a thousand Jewish refugees fro the Holocaust of Nazi Germany by employing them in his factories during World War II.

(9) Celine Liu, played the harp for us and her piece of music was an Irish folk song “Danny Boy”. Celine is another eleven-year-old school girl from St. Cuthbert’s College in Auckland. The Master of Ceremony encouraged us to sing along with Celine’s repeated performance and we did. https://youtu.be/I2Cyxb63mK8

Oh, Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen to glen, and down the mountain side.

The summer’s gone, and all the roses falling, It’s you, it’s you must go and I must bide.

But come ye back when summer’s in the meadow, Or when the valley’s hushed and white with snow, It’s I’ll be here in sunshine or in shadow, Oh, Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so!

But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying, If I am dead, as dead I well may be, You’ll come and find the place where I am lying, And kneel and say an Ave there for me.

And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me, And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be, For you will bend and tell me that you love me, And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me! https://youtu.be/xs6QsQ4EL2c

(10) Hayden Chiu, Violinist, is from King’s School, currently at Year 7. This violinist played Pablo de Sarasate’s “Malaguena” accompanied by his mother, Jane Chui, at the piano. Hayden is one of the trio in the famous AHA group of Hayden Chiu (Violin), Amy Wang (‘Cello), and Alex Bai (Piano). https://youtu.be/DnP1WQ62CLM

See also the performance of AHA group from YouTube: https://youtu.be/tHh6dLeMs8g Jun 4, 2021PNJA 2021 concert series at NZ’s most beautiful performance venue, The Wallace Arts Centre - Pah Homestead. Felix Mendelssohn 1809 - 1847, Piano Trio no. 1 in d Minor, op. 49 Molto Allegro agitato. Hayden Chiu, violin, Anny Wang, cello, and Alex Bai, piano.

(11) Anny Wang - ‘Cello from Murrays Bay Intermediate School Year 7, eleven years old, played J. S. Bach’s “Allemande and Courante” ‘Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major. https://youtu.be/UdBx1QyWHqc

Polonaise de concert by David Popper by Anny Wang 10years old (last performance of 3/4 cello) https://youtu.be/Egu4HzDelcA

Allemande and Courante - https://youtu.be/GZzAm84Bt8w