Tal Amoore
Auckland, Viola
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 Chen
Auckland, Violin
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 Chiu
Auckland, Violin
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 Herlihy-O'Brien
Auckland, Cello
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
Auckland, Cello
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 Kosaka
Christchurch, Cello
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 Lee
Auckland, Violin
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 Lee
Auckland, Cello
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.
Kimberley Yuan
Auckland, Cello
Kimberley is currently under the tutelage of James Tennant, studying a Bachelor of Music majoring in Cello Performance and a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Finance and Commercial Law at the University of Auckland.
In 2019 and 2020, she received First Prize in the Golden Classical International Music Awards Competition, the Brussels Grand Prize Virtuoso International Music Competition, and First Equal in the Pacific International Music Competition. Kimberley has also performed in renowned venues – namely Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House – and was invited to perform at the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels.
Most recently, she won Third Place and the Audience’s Choice Award at the 2022 National Young Performer Awards.
Rose Light
Graz, Austria, Violin
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
Palmerston North, Violin
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 Tao
Auckland, Violin
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
Wellington, Violin
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
Auckland, Cello
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
Auckland, Violin
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.
Max Chen
Auckland, Cello
Lucas Baker
Wellington, Violin