Young musicians excel at Whanganui contest
Whanganui High School student Cypress Kani-Hurinui performing with Trio Lane at the New Zealand Community Trust Chamber Music Contest on Friday.
More than 90 young musicians from the Whanganui region competed in the annual New Zealand Community Trust Chamber Music Contest on Friday.
The Whanganui District contest took place at the Prince Edward Auditorium at Wanganui Collegiate School and was one of 15 district contests nationwide.
District contest organiser Ingrid Culliford said the event was well supported by schools, music teachers and students.
"The adjudicator, Ben Hoadley, was very impressed by the standard of presentation of the groups and by the obvious commitment to what they are playing, regardless of their technical level," she said.
"From my point of view, it is a pleasure to have such a range of groups performing, from relative beginners to more experienced and advanced students, with participation and the experience being as important as the competition itself."
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 central districts regional finals.
Four groups were highly commended.
They were Trio Felsen with Eden Vaatstra (soprano), Theodore Vaatstra cello and Advina Wu (piano) from Wanganui Home educators and Collegiate School, The Millennium Trio with Angela Wu (flute), Earth Sunthornyanakit (cello) and Emily Kim (piano) from Wanganui Collegiate, The Ruffs with Michael Peterson, James lee, Hugo Collins (percussion) from Whanganui High School and Trio Lane with Cypress Kani-Hurinui (voice), Brenna Hadley (flute) and Oscar Zhang (piano) from Whanganui High School.
Best performance of an original composition went to Whanganui High School group The Classical Modes take 2 with composer Ben Power (piano), Virginia Thomson (violin) and Danielle Sewell (flute).
Best performance of a New Zealand work went to Whanganui High School group Sophie's Choice with Jack Southee (voice), Brenna Hadlee (flute) and Sophie Wham (piano).
KBB Awards (for excellence in wind, brass, percussion) went to The Millennium Trio and The Ruffs.
The Adjudicator's Award went to Collegiate trio Les Trois Amies - Hinako Tsukada, Yeju Kim and Advina Wu (piano).
The local IRMT Award for most promising Junior ensemble went to Three for Cui with Hannah Kemenater (flute), TJ Sunthornyanakit (violin) and Rada Punnajurawong (piano).
The Wanganui Music Society Award for Best Group with a vocalist went to Trio Felsen.
By Liz Wylie
Wanganui Chronicle 12/6/17