Tal Amoore’s journey as a violist commenced unusually late at the age of 15 under the guidance of Dr John Thompson, then with Gillian Ansell of the NZ String Quartet. Tal has graced stages across New Zealand, performing with many regional orchestras as well as festivals such as Cuba Dupa, the Fringe Festival, and Classical on Cuba.

As a Rostered Artist of the Afflatus Ensemble, Tal has demonstrated his versatility as both a soloist and principal violist. He founded the Eden Quartet and has participated in the NZSQ’s Adam Summer School numerous times, and recently embarked on a recording project with a small ensemble of string players alongside London-based Arjuna Oakes and his band.

Tal has been honoured to be an APO Young Achiever and a Dame Malvina Major Ensemble Rostered Artist. He was also an At the World’s Edge Emerging Artist in 2022 and is looking forward to returning again in 2024.

Amy is a year 12 student at Saint Kentigern College, where she holds the position of College Arts Prefect. She previously studied violin with Stephen Larsen and is now learning under the guidance of Mark Bennett.

As concertmaster in the Saint Kentigern College Symphony Orchestra, Amy’s passion for orchestral music extends to her involvement with the NZ Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra (NZSSSO) and the 2024 NZSO Young Artist Showcase. She has won numerous awards with her chamber group at the NZCT Chamber Music Contest, including National Finalist 2022 and 2024, and Auckland District Best Group Overall this year. Additionally, she won the Young Performer of The Year Award at North Shore Performing Arts Society (NSPAS) and was nominated to compete at the Performing Arts Competitions Association (PACANZ) in 2023.

Amy has also had the honour of playing in events such as the Ning Feng Masterclass and the Auckland String Sessions hosted by the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.

Hayden is a year 9 student at Auckland Grammar School. He began violin studies with Dr Elena Abramova, and learns from Stephen Larsen and Professor Robin Wilson.

Hayden won first prize in the Golden Classical Music Competition in 2019, which led to a performance at Carnegie Hall. He has since been awarded Distinction in Strings for three consecutive years from the APPA/Ara Lodge Music Competition, and attended King’s School on a John Henley Music Scholarship.

Hayden received chamber and orchestral music coaching from Mark Bennett, Pettman National Junior Academy, Auckland String Quartet Summer School, APO Big Play In, Melbourne Youth Orchestra Summer School, and Manukau Symphony Orchestra.

Hayden’s piano trio has earned Highly Commended and Regional Finalist awards from NZCT Chamber Contest in 2021 and 2023. He enjoyed touring as a member of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra National Youth Orchestra in 2022, and was selected as Associate Concertmaster in 2023.

Hayden participated in Piccolo Violino Competition in Italy and performed as soloist with Devonport Chamber Orchestra and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in 2024.

Damon began playing the cello shortly before his fourth birthday and is currently studying a conjoint BMus/BSc (psychology) degree at The University of Auckland under James Tennant for his cello studies.

In 2021, Damon achieved both the NZQA Top Scholar award for the highest NCEA Scholarship Music score in the country and offer of a prestigious Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship from Waikato University. In 2023, he performed as one of the Emerging Artists in Cental Otago’s At the World’s Edge music festival.

Much in demand as both a soloist and ensemble musician, Damon is the Principal Cello of the Auckland Youth Orchestra (winning the AYO Concerto Competition in 2021), and Principal Cello of the University of Auckland Symphony Orchestra. He also performs as a drummer for the popular heavy metal band Cyanide Altar and is a percussionist for Waitakere Brass. He plays a fine Carboni cello on generous loan to him through the Hill Family Foundation’s Instrument Bank.

Boudewijn Keenan is an Honours level university student studying cello under the tutelage of James Tennant at the University of Auckland. This is his first year studying in Auckland, after completing his undergraduate degree in music at the University of Otago with Dr Heleen du Plessis, majoring in cello performance.

Boudewijn is involved in numerous musical projects of different natures, which encompass orchestral, chamber and solo playing. Highlights over the years have included playing in the National Youth Orchestra for four years, including as principal cellist, forming the Passione Quartet this year and winning the Dunedin Concerto Competition in 2023, performing Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations with full orchestra in the Dunedin Town Hall.

Ingrid is a versatile chamber musician and soloist, currently in her final year of study at Christchurch Girls’ High School.

At the age of 15, Ingrid was selected as a soloist for the NZSO Young Soloists Showcase, leading to a performance as a soloist with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by James Judd. In 2021, she was invited as a guest soloist for a concert tour with the Baroque Music Community and Educational Trust of New Zealand, performing Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Cellos with Tomas Hurnik. In the previous year, she was a semi-finalist in the Performing Arts Competitions Association (PACANZ) National Young Performers’ Award Competition.

Sarah is currently in the second year of her Bachelor of Music degree at The University of Auckland, studying with Stephen Larsen. Her passion for music has led to various achievements, including a Gold award at the NZCT Chamber Music Competition in 2021, second place at the Performing Arts Competitions Association (PACANZ) National Competition in 2022 and receiving the Chiron Lewis Eady Foundation Scholarship the same year.

She also performed as a first violinist in the NZSO National Youth Orchestra in 2022 and has been selected as an Emerging Artist for the 2024 At the World’s Edge music festival in Central Otago.  Sarah plays on violin on loan to her through the Hill Family Foundation’s Instrument Bank.

Hyun Jae started playing the cello at the age of seven and is currently studying under James Tennant.

 Since beginning his cello journey, he has received numerous awards through competitions in New Zealand and overseas. Notably, he was awarded the Most Promising Player at both the Te Awamutu Competition in 2016 and the 12th Akaroa International Music Festival. Hyun Jae has won prizes from the Padova International Cello Competition, the Valsecia Music Competition and the Prague International Music Competition. His dedication to music continues to grow and he aspires to further his music studies.

Anna is currently studying her Graduate Diploma in Violin Performance at the New England Conservatory in Boston, as a Dean’s Scholar under the guidance of Professor Nicholas Kitchen.

Anna attended the Eastman School of Music from 2016 to 2022, completing a Bachelor of Music degree before going on to complete her Master of Music and Literature degree in Violin Performance.

Anna has enjoyed success at several international competitions, including first place at the American Protégé International Music Competition (2015); first place at the Viotti Valsesia Juniores International Music Competition (2013); and second place at both the International Music Competition Premio Citta di Padova (2013) and the Seoul National Junior Music Competition (2013).

At the age of ten Anna studied under Professor Stephen Larsen at the Pettman Academy, before enrolling at the age of fifteen at the NZ School of Music Programme in Wellington where she was awarded the Therle Drake Award for top Auditionee for the NZSM Classical Performance programme.

Rose began her tertiary studies at Victoria University under Dr Martin Riseley and now studies in Austria at the Kunstuniversität Graz, under Prof Vesna Stankovich for violin and Prof Alexander Pavlovksy for chamber music.

Her accolades include winning second place in the Stockholm International Music Competition 2024, first place in the International Note-Able Instrumental Competition in 2022 and second place in the Wellington Concerto Competition 2023. Her string quartet won the Queensland International Chamber Music Competition 2019 (Under 18s) and her piano trio won the 2021 NZCT Chamber Music Contest Silver Award.

Rose was selected as one of six Violin Fellows for the Michael Hill International Violin Competition (2023). She was awarded the Barbara Finlayson Post-Graduate Scholarship at Victoria University in her second year of a Bachelor degree and the Dame Malvina Major Cecily Maccoll Award in 2021.

In 2024, Rose was accepted for the Stefan Milenkovic Music Institute (Serbia), the Domaine Forget Academy (Quebec) and invited to join Sinfonia Smith Square (London orchestra) on tour in Italy. She has played in orchestras under numerous international conductors including Daniel Barenboim, Riccardo Muti, James Judd and Ariel Zuckermann.

Rose plays a Riccardo Bergonzi Violin ‘Vivace’ c.2005, made available through a generous loan by the Hill Family Foundation’s Instrument Bank.

Enshean (Sheena) Lin started learning the violin at the age of six, and now is a fourth-year student at the University of Auckland, studying with Stephen Larsen. She has performed with ensembles including the National Youth Orchestra and the Auckland Philharmonia.

Her recent musical highlights include performing at the At World’s Edge music festival in Central Otago as an Emerging Artist in 2022, and touring ‘Another Night in Vienna’ with Chamber Music New Zealand in 2021.

Angel Wen Tao is a year 9 student at Diocesan School for Girls where she is the recipient of a music scholarship. She studies the violin with Dr John Thomson, participates in the school orchestras and choirs and has served in leadership positions in various ensembles. In 2022 Angel achieved her ATCL in violin performance.

Angel has been awarded the top prize in several music competitions in New Zealand and Singapore. She has been featured as soloist with a number of orchestras, most recently the Manukau Symphony Orchestra. Angel also enjoys playing chamber music on the viola, and this year was selected (on viola) for the national finals of the NZ Chamber Music Competition, as a member of the Debussy Trio.

Mana Waiariki (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) is a freelance musician based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara and is currently working full time at the New Zealand String Quartet Trust as a Toi Māori Aotearoa, Māori Arts Intern (MAI).

Mana completed her Bachelor of Music last year, majoring in Classical Violin Performance under the tutelage of Helene Pohl of the NZSQ at Victoria University, Te Kōkī New Zealand School of Music. Mana was generously supported by the Deane Endowment Trust throughout her studies.

As a violinist, Mana has played in art festivals such as the Fringe Festival, Cuba Dupa, and Classical on Cuba and with various orchestras across Aotearoa including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, Hawke’s Bay Orchestra and the Nelson Symphony Orchestra. Mana is currently trialling with Orchestra Wellington for a position as a core first violinist. She also teaches at Arohanui Strings and privately and plays a violin on loan to her though the Hill Family Foundation’s Instrument Bank.

Ryan Yeh began studying cello at the age of five and is currently under the tutelage of James Tennant. Ryan is a music scholar and cultural prefect at Saint Kentigern Boys School.

In 2024, Ryan was awarded second place in the New Zealand Note-Able National Instrumental Competition and was the winner in the instrumental section of the Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition in Queensland.

In 2023, Ryan performed with New Zealand Symphony Orchestra as part of the Young Artist Programme. He won third place in the Beethoven Concours Nederland 2023 – Junior Cello Competition and also received Most Promising Player Award at Christchurch National Concerto Competition (2023).

Other awards include first prize at the Gustav Mahler Cello Competition in Category II (2022); a winner in the 2022 Anton Rubinstein International Junior Cello Competition; and winner of the 2020-2021 Vivo International Music Competition Cello Category I.

Lorna Zhang is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Auckland, majoring in Violin Performance under the guidance of Stephen Larsen.

She was selected as an Emerging Artist for the At the World’s Edge music festival 2023 in Central Otago. Lorna received the ROSL Pettman Scholarship 2024, facilitated by the Royal Overseas League, which funded a career development tour around the northern hemisphere this July and August. Lorna’s chamber group, Kaha Trio, is an ‘Aspiring Musicians’ ensemble in association with the Auckland Philharmonia.

Lorna has played in masterclasses for international artists such as Ning Feng, Ilya Gringolts and James Ehnes. As part of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition 2023, she had the honour of joining Ning Feng and Sarah Watkins in a performance of Sarasate’s Navarra for Two Violins and Piano.

Outside of being a performer, Lorna was awarded second prize in the University of Auckland Lilburn Trust Awards 2023 for her work Space written for solo violin.