2010 Student Profile

He has visited Hamilton several times, but this time gifted cellist Santiago Canon-Valencia is here to complete a Bachelor of Music degree and work towards his goal of becoming a cello soloist.

Columbian-born Santiago Canon-Valencia comes from a family of musicians. His father is in the Bogota Philharmonic Orchestra, his sister is studying performance violin in Oklahoma, and his mother also plays cello. His love of music has brought him to Waikato University where his teachers James Tennant and Katherine Austin are based.

"I was studying with James Tennant for three years before I started university. My teacher went back to Poland and I was left without a teacher.  James was my mum's teacher a long time ago, so she tried to find him. She did, and in 2007 he invited us here to study with him", he says.

In 2008, Santiago returned to New Zealand to complete a recital series. He travelled across New Zealand, stopping at Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellington and Christchurch, performing at more than 20 concerts.

At just 14 years of age, he enrolled in a Bachelor of Music in A semester 2010, becoming the youngest student to receive a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship. Without the scholarship he wouldn't have been able to study in New Zealand, so he is grateful for the financial support and is pleased to be back in Hamilton as a university student.   

Santiago currently spends 3 or 4 hours each day practising with a view to becoming a cello soloist, which will give him the opportunity to record music, go on tour and travel the world. 

 "I've been learning Cello since I was four and a half, so I'm taking it seriously. Studying music, especially cello is what I want to do in the future.  I love it."