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Chamber Music Evening and Auckland District’s Success
from Piper July 2023
The Saint Kentigern College Chamber Music Evening was a night of gripping performances. From seasoned performers bidding farewell to their secondary school years to first-time chamber musicians, eight groups comprised talented College students from Saint Kentigern and other schools. The event was also a practice run for many students who competed at the Auckland District Chamber Contest the following week.
The Music Evening performances commenced with FVFLD, captivating the audience with their renditions of Josh Gutty’s ‘Quintic’, featuring intricate percussion layers in irregular metres, and Nathan Daughtrey’s ‘Rhyme or Reason’, a piece known for its mature rhythmic complexity. The following week, Jason Wong, Patrick Yu, Daniel Qin, Max Liu, and Christian Miao made it through to the finals of the Auckland Contest as one of two entirely Saint Kentigern College groups to do so.
TriPi Trio followed, performing Beethoven’s Piano trio and Schoenfield’s ‘Cafe Music’. College student and violinist Amy Chen received Highly Commended for her efforts the following week at the Auckland Contest.
Following on, performances from Der Edelstein, Double Bass Quartet, and Koanga brought dimension and variety to the evening. Taking a journey to Russia, the Davydov Trio showcased Arensky’s Piano Trio. Amy Chen on violin, Brendon Tsoi on cello, and Peter Hu on piano continued to impress at the Auckland Contest, being named in the twelve finalists among over seventy groups.
The evening culminated with the mesmerising Babadjanian Piano Trio in F# minor, full of rich harmonies and dynamic interplay. Eva Wu, Charles Sang, and Archie Lamong-Bowden went on to win the Auckland Contest, and we’re incredibly proud of College student Charles Sang who displayed outstanding musicianship in their performance.
The grand finale featured Catherine Chang, an accomplished alumna, who had the audience spellbound with her rendition of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 first movement, accompanied by her teacher, Richard Liu. Her remarkable musical journey, supported by the College’s music programme, was a window into possibilities for our up-andcoming musicians.
As the night ended, the Saint Kentigern College Chamber Music Evening left a lasting impression on all who attended. The students’ dedication, as well as that of their coaches Mr Juan Kim, Mr Eric Renick, Dr Lisa Chung, and Mr John Mietu, and tutors, combined with the audience’s support, showcased the power of music to inspire, uplift, and nurture young talent.
