Semi-finalists announced for Wallace International Cello Competition
22 June 2016
The semi-finalists have been announced for the inaugural Wallace International Cello Competition, the final rounds of which will be held as part of the Waikato International Cello Fest 2016 at the University of Waikato in August.
Festival Director and Senior Lecturer in cello, James Tennant, selected 11 semi-finalists, all under the age of 25, from a strong pool of international candidates.
Young cellists will be travelling from as far afield as England, Switzerland, Singapore and Australia, as they vie for a position in the final and a chance at winning a share of $10,000, donated by the Wallace Foundation.
“I was extremely impressed with the calibre of entrants. This bodes well for some excellent performances in the semi-finals and finals,” says Mr Tennant.
The New Zealand contingent is strong, with Francis Yoon and Lucy Gijsbers joining University of Waikato student Matthias Balzat and Hamilton-based Hyein Kim. For Balzat, the competition is an opportunity to add to his impressive and growing competition resumé, including shared first prize in the 2014 National Concerto Competition.
The Wallace Foundation is excited to be supporting the Waikato International Cello Festival and in particular the inaugural Wallace International Cello Competition as both of these events give talented young cellists the chance to gain experience and insight from international guests and showcase their talents to audiences from around the world.
The semi-finals will be held behind closed doors on Saturday 20 August, prior to the official launch of the festival the following day. Competitors will be required to play a range of works, including Matter and Energy, written especially for the competition by University of Waikato Senior Lecturer of Music Dr Michael Williams. The pieces will showcase the semifinalists’ musical technique, insights, and flair. The best three or four cellists will be selected for the finals concert, which will be held in the Dr John Gallagher Concert Chamber on August 22 at 7.30pm.
Tickets for the concert are on sale from www.waikato.ac.nz/academy/whats-on/music.
For a full list of competitors and more information about the festival, visit www.waikato.ac.nz/go/cellofest