Young Whanganui musicians come home for concert
HOME CONCERT: Cellist Elena Morgan (left) and pianist Max Munneke (right) will perform a mix of modern music and masterpieces next Saturday 22 July at the Whanganui War Memorial Concert Chamber.
The Wanganui Music Society is happy to be able to welcome home two young musicians currently studying at Waikato University.
Cellist Elena Morgan and pianist Max Munneke will play at a concert hosted by the society on July 22.
"Elena is the recipient of our Kenrick Christie Award for 2013 and Max received the same award in 2014," said society president Christine Soulsby.
The award is for students who are going on to study music in New Zealand.
"It is a source of great pride when our award students return to perform for us."
Other Whanganui musicians who have taken part in concerts for the society include Liam Wooding (photo below), who received the Kenrick Christie award in 2010, Pascal Harris and Hannah-Elizabeth Teoh.
Morgan is in her fourth year of tertiary studies, currently studying towards a Bachelor of Music Performance with honours under James Tennant at the University of Waikato.
She previously completed her undergraduate years at the NZ School of Music in Wellington where she studied cello with Inbal Megiddo.
Morgan has been awarded several scholarships including the Wynne Costley Study Award, Whanganui Music Society Kenrick Christie Award, Mitre 10 Gilbertson Young Achievers Award, and a Victoria University Excellence scholarship
She hopes to continue with study towards a masters degree and explore opportunities overseas.
Munneke began playing piano when he started at Whanganui High School aged 12.
His love for music got him through the New Zealand Board music exams with the support of his teachers Win Livesay and Ingrid Culliford.
In his final year of high school it became apparent that music would be a viable option for study at a tertiary institution and he completed his AMus diploma in 2014.
In 2015 Munneke was awarded the Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship to study with pianist Katherine Austin at the Waikato University Conservatorium of Music.
This year Munneke has been awarded the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Exchange Scholarship and plans to study in Beijing, China for four months commencing early September.
Elena and Max will play at the Concert Chamber, Whanganui War Memorial Centre on Saturday July 22 at 4pm. Tickets $20 adults, $12 Music Society members, $5 students. Available from Royal Wanganui Opera House or at the door.
By Liz Wylie
Wanganui Chronicle 8/7/17
