Chamber music contest hosted

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Whanganui High School's Trio Lane are Brenna Hadley (flute), Oscar Zhang (piano) and Cypress Kani-Hurinui (voice) at NZ Community Trust Chamber Music Contest held at Wanganui Collegiate School.
PICTURE / STUART MUNRO

More than 90 young musicians from the Whanganui region competed in the annual New Zealand Community Trust Chamber Music Contest last week.

The Whanganui District Contest took place on Friday, June 9 at the Prince Edward Auditorium, Wanganui Collegiate School and was one of 15 district contests being held nationwide.

It was adjudicated by bassoonist and composer Ben Hoadley. Ben is lecturer at the University of Auckland, where he has taught bassoon and chamber music since 2007. He is principal bassoonist with the Sydney Omega Ensemble and has worked with orchestras around the world. Ben holds degrees in bassoon performance from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the New England Conservatory (Boston) and a Master of Music with first class honours in composition from the University of Waikato.

This year the Whanganui Contest attracted 29 ensembles involving 94 musicians with six groups travelling from Marton.

The groups range from standard chamber music ensembles with violin or flute, cello and piano, to groups with singers, six hands on one piano, guitar trio and percussion groups, all playing a variety of styles of music.

The New Zealand Community Trust Chamber Music Contest is the longest running youth music competition in New Zealand and in 2015 celebrated its 50th anniversary.

It is the only nationwide chamber music competition for young musicians and composers and is well-known for nurturing young musicians who go on to successful musical careers in New Zealand and abroad.

As well as organising the contest, Chamber Music New Zealand also arranges coaching and open workshops for ensembles with the support of ABRSM.

This year, Whanganui was lucky enough to be awarded coaching sessions with Doug Beilman, former violinist in the NZ String Quartet. In their sessions with Doug, students learned more about bringing the music to life through characterisation and communication.

This year there were 17 composition entries in the original composition section of the contest including one entry from Whanganui High School student Ben Power. Ben's Prelude & Fugue in D Lydian for Piano and Violin was performed by trio The Classical Modes Take Two with Ben on piano.

Wellington-based composer, and lecturer in composition at Victoria University, Michael Norris, will select two winning scores (junior and senior) and the winning composers will be announced this month. The winners will be awarded SOUNZ cash prizes and a year's subscription to CANZ (Composers' Association of New Zealand).

Following the Whanganui District round, the top ensembles from the Hawke's Bay, East Coast, Whanganui, Manawatu and Wellington contests will travel to Napier to compete in the central regional finals on Saturday, June 24. The top 12 ensembles from the three regional finals held in Christchurch, Napier and Auckland will compete in the national finals on Friday and Saturday, August 5 and 6, in Wellington.

In presenting the New Zealand Community Trust Chamber Music Contest, Chamber Music New Zealand acknowledges the support of The New Zealand Community Trust, University of Auckland, ABRSM, SOUNZ (Centre for NZ Music), CANZ (Composers' Association of New Zealand), The Wallace Foundation, KBB Music and various regional funders who support events at district contests.

Winners 
The winning group was The Leipzig Connection with Angela Wu (violin), Liam Boessenkool (cello) and Emily Kim (piano), a combined group from Wanganui Collegiate (Angela and Emily) and Wanganui Home Educators (Liam). They played the first movement of Mendelssohn's Trio in D minor, and with this piece will go on to represent Whanganui in the Napier at the central districts regional finals.

There were four highly commendeds:
Trio Felsen - Eden Vaatstra soprano, Theodore Vaatstra cello and Advina Wu (Wanganui Home educators /Collegiate School)
The Millenium Trio - Angela Wu (flute), Earth Sunthornyanakit (cello), Emily Kim (piano) (Wanganui Collegiate)
The Ruffs - Michael Peterson, James lee, Hugo Collins (all percussion) (Whanganui High School)
Trio Lane - Brenna Hadley (flute), Oscar Zhang (piano) and Cypress Kani-Hurinui (voice) (Whanganui High School)

Other awards:
Best performance of an Original composition - The Classical Modes Take 2 - playing Prelude & Fugue in D Lydian by Ben Power (Whanganui High School) - Ben Power (piano), Virginia Thomson (violin), Danielle Sewell (flute).

Best performance of a New Zealand work - Sophie's Choice (Whanganui High School) - Jack Southee (voice), Brenna Hadlee (flute) and Sophie Wham (piano).

KBB Awards (for excellence in wind, brass, percussion)
The Millenium Trio, The Ruffs

Adjudicator's Award:-
Les Trois Amies - Hinako Tsukada, Yeju Kim & Advina Wu (piano) - Collegiate School

Local awards
IRMT Award for most promising Junior ensemble - Three for Cui - Hannah Kemenater (flute), TJ Sunthornyanakit (violin), Rada Punnajurawong (piano).
Wanganui Music Society Award for Best Group with a vocalist - Trio Felsen.

Wanganui Midweek 14/6/17

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