Twenty-five young musicians are practising hard in preparation for the Dunedin Concerto Competition Preliminary Round concerts from March 7-9 at the University of Otago College of Education auditorium.
This is the first time the two-yearly Dunedin Concerto Competition is being held, with the aim of shining a spotlight on the most talentedyoung classical musicians from Otago and Southland.
The musicians taking part in this year’s competition, aged from 10 to 21 years, play a variety of instruments, and include 10 pianists, six string players (violin, cello, and harp), five brass players, and four wind players.
Each competitor brings their passion and artistry to the stage, making the competition a unique event for classical music lovers and the wider community.
Three internationally renowned adjudicators will bring their expertise to judging the competition, including Sydney Symphony Orchestra principal horn Samuel Jacobs, New Zealand School of Music lecturer and former NZ String Quartet second violinist Monique Lapins, and NZ School of Music acting head of school and head of piano studies Dr Jian Liu.
The trio will guide the competitors through the preliminary rounds, and willselect three finalists to perform in the Finalists Concert at Dunedin Town Hall on May 16, accompanied by the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra and members of Dunedin Youth Orchestra.
There are major prizes up for grabs, thanks to the HTowers Charitable Trust and the Bill & Clare Hodgson Bequest.
The competition’s preliminary round sessions will be held at the College of Education Auditorium on Friday, March 7, from 6pm; Saturday, March 8, from 10.30am, 2pm and 6pm; and Sunday, March 9, from 10.30am, with semifinals from 4pm.
The three finalists will be announced at 7pm on Sunday.
Members of the public are welcome to attend the preliminary round concerts. Entry is by koha at the door.
For more information, visit www.dunedinconcerto.com
