2010 Student Profile

Maria Mo is no stranger to Waikato's music programme and it's safe to say that she has well and truly made her mark in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. 

A classical pianist, Maria is completing the final stages of her Postgraduate Diploma in Music, having already graduated with a Bachelor of Music with Honours and Master of Music from Waikato.  She will soon be heading overseas to pursue further performance and postgraduate study options.

"After completing my Masters, it seemed like the most logical and helpful option to undertake the Postgraduate Diploma as it would help me to prepare for the auditions involved in studying overseas, as well as keep myself busy and challenged by continuing to perform and practice.  It worked out perfectly that I was able to complete my Postgraduate Diploma by the time I was due to go overseas, which is 30 May. I leave for Europe, and will be auditioning in various schools in Austria and Germany", she says.

Maria has received numerous awards while she has been a Waikato student, including the prestigious Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship of which she graduated with the Sir Edmund Hillary Medal in 2008, and the Lili Kraus Piano Scholarship.  She also won a prize for Most Promising Pianist at the Kerikeri National Piano Competition and, as part of the Leonari trio, competed against 10 New Zealand chamber ensembles and won the Royal Over-Seas League Arts International Scholarship in 2009.

"This Scholarship is particularly amazing: it includes a fully accommodated 5-week concert tour and study trip in the UK, concerts in prestigious venues such as St Martin-in-the-fields and Edinburgh Fringe, tickets to cultural events such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the BBC Proms, participation in summer courses such as the London Master classes and Dartington Summer School, lessons with renowned teachers from leading UK conservatories, as well as $1500 cash each and return flights from NZ to the UK. It is an incredible opportunity, and I get to share it with two of my best friends - Eddy King (cellist), also a Hillary scholar, and Hilary Hayes (violinist), a brilliant young violinist who is still in high school.

"As well as the above, I have been invited to 'Semaine Internationale de Piano' to perform a solo recital as a guest student artist - 'Semaine Internationale de Piano' is a week-long piano course and chamber music festival held at the Hindemith Music Centre in the quaint town of Blonay, Switzerland.

"As you can see, I have a very exciting and busy year ahead - and all these opportunities came from studying music at Waikato University" she enthuses.

Maria is working towards a career as a full-time concert pianist and chamber musician.  Although she has celebrated numerous successes here at Waikato, it hasn't been easy and she wants remind future students to be prepared for years of hard work. 

"Don't think you will get a degree handed to you on a plate. One has to work hard at this level, even with natural talent, and expect to face many obstacles. Tertiary study should really test you to find out what you're made of and help you grow as a person and a professional. If you work hard, the culmination of all your efforts will be so rewarding in ways you could never imagine."