Benjamin MORRISON (New Zealand)
Born in 1986, New Zealand Violinist Benjamin Thomas Morrison began learning the violin a little before his fourth Birthday. With initial tuition from his father, Benjamin regularly appeared in public, giving solo performances. From the age of five, he received excellent tuition from esteemed New Zealand teacher Stephen Larsen. At the age of ten, Benjamin was selected to play as a soloist on national television, and two years later at the age of 12 gave his first solo recital. In 2001 Benjamin had his debut with orchestra playing the Bruch Violin Concerto with the Christchurch Symphony for the opening of the Aurora Centre in New Zealand.
Since a young age Benjamin participated actively in Chamber music, performing in groups ranging from Trios to Octets. In 2002 his quartet, the Morrison Quartet, won the New Zealand National Chamber Music Competition from an original 472 groups. Following this success, the quartet were asked to play at the debating chamber in parliament. He has subsequently had much experience playing in various chamber groups in Europe, and in 2009 performed in a string quintet for the opening of the new 'Mumuth' Performance Venue in Graz, Austria. This performance was broadcast on Austrian National radio.
Benjamin has performed most of the concertos and sonatas from the standard violin Repertoire, and in 2004, won the prestigious National Concerto Competition playing the Sibelius Violin Concetto, accompanied by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. In 2006, Benjamin moved to Victoria University to further his studies with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's Concertmaster, Vesa-Matti Leppanen, and in the same year won the Victoria University Concerto Competition playing the Brahms Violin Concerto. In 2007, Benjamin won both the Recital and Concerto Sections of the Rotorua National Instrumental
Competition.
Benjamin currently studies at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria with internationally renowned Performer and Professor Yair Kless. In Graz Benjamin is actively involved in the music scene, giving solo performances, as well as playing in chamber groups. In August 2010, he participated in the International Mozarteum Summer academy, and was one of tile 10 performers chosen from around 1,000 students to perform in the prestigious prize-winner's concert at the Great Hall in Salzburg, Austria. Benjamin is the only New Zealander to have performed in this concert since the Summer Academy started back in 1916.
Benjamin currently plays on a violin based on the 'Viotti' Stradivari made by his father, David Morrison.
Born in 1986, New Zealand Violinist Benjamin Thomas Morrison began learning the violin a little before his fourth Birthday. With initial tuition from his father, Benjamin regularly appeared in public, giving solo performances. From the age of five, he received excellent tuition from esteemed New Zealand teacher Stephen Larsen. At the age of ten, Benjamin was selected to play as a soloist on national television, and two years later at the age of 12 gave his first solo recital. In 2001 Benjamin had his debut with orchestra playing the Bruch Violin Concerto with the Christchurch Symphony for the opening of the Aurora Centre in New Zealand.
Since a young age Benjamin participated actively in Chamber music, performing in groups ranging from Trios to Octets. In 2002 his quartet, the Morrison Quartet, won the New Zealand National Chamber Music Competition from an original 472 groups. Following this success, the quartet were asked to play at the debating chamber in parliament. He has subsequently had much experience playing in various chamber groups in Europe, and in 2009 performed in a string quintet for the opening of the new 'Mumuth' Performance Venue in Graz, Austria. This performance was broadcast on Austrian National radio.
Benjamin has performed most of the concertos and sonatas from the standard violin Repertoire, and in 2004, won the prestigious National Concerto Competition playing the Sibelius Violin Concetto, accompanied by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. In 2006, Benjamin moved to Victoria University to further his studies with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra's Concertmaster, Vesa-Matti Leppanen, and in the same year won the Victoria University Concerto Competition playing the Brahms Violin Concerto. In 2007, Benjamin won both the Recital and Concerto Sections of the Rotorua National Instrumental
Competition.
Benjamin currently studies at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria with internationally renowned Performer and Professor Yair Kless. In Graz Benjamin is actively involved in the music scene, giving solo performances, as well as playing in chamber groups. In August 2010, he participated in the International Mozarteum Summer academy, and was one of tile 10 performers chosen from around 1,000 students to perform in the prestigious prize-winner's concert at the Great Hall in Salzburg, Austria. Benjamin is the only New Zealander to have performed in this concert since the Summer Academy started back in 1916.
Benjamin currently plays on a violin based on the 'Viotti' Stradivari made by his father, David Morrison.
Australian Development Prize Winner
Suyeon KANG (Korea)
In 2010, Korean-born Australian violinist Suyeon Kang was awarded the 3rd prize at the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition in Oslo, Norway, adding this to her many other prestigous competition successes - laureate of the Leopold Mozart International Competition (2009), finalist in the European auditions of the Young Concert Artists Competition based in New York (Leipzig, 2008), winner of the Kammermusikwetlbewerbs des Nuernberger Mozart-Vereins, Nuernberger Nachrichten Preis (2008), Young Australian Performer of the Year (2005), amongst several others.
Born in South Korea in 1989, Suyeon Kang began the violin at the age of 6 in Canberra (Australia) with Josette Esquedin Morgan, furthering her studies in Sydney and Melbourne with Alice Waten and Goetz Richter. She was named the youngest ever Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year in 2005 at the age of 16, which led to performances as soloist with many of the major Australian orchestras. Whilst in Australia she recorded extensively for radio stations ABC Classic FM, 2MBS FM and 3MBS FM.
In 2007 Kang moved to Germany to study with Professor Daniel Gaede, and since 2009 has been working as his assistant.
Kang has appeared as soloist with the Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra (KORK), Bayerischer Rundfunk Orchester (Bavarian Radio Orchestra), the Melbourne, Tasmanian, Queensland, and Canberra Symphony Orchestras, Orchestra Victoria etc. She has performed extensively in recitals in concert venues throughout Europe, Australia and Asia.
A passionate chamber musician, Suyeon Kang has appeared with artists such as Siegfried Jeruselem, Julius Berger, Franz Halasz, Daniel Gaede, Elisabeth Zeuthen-Schneider and Màtè Szücs amongst several others, and recently formed duos with the cellist Jacob Shaw and the guitarist Stefan Grasse. Always keen to push the limit of the capabilities on the violin she has worked with musicians and composers of different musical horizons, ranging from classical to jazzifolk music.
In 2010, Korean-born Australian violinist Suyeon Kang was awarded the 3rd prize at the Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition in Oslo, Norway, adding this to her many other prestigous competition successes - laureate of the Leopold Mozart International Competition (2009), finalist in the European auditions of the Young Concert Artists Competition based in New York (Leipzig, 2008), winner of the Kammermusikwetlbewerbs des Nuernberger Mozart-Vereins, Nuernberger Nachrichten Preis (2008), Young Australian Performer of the Year (2005), amongst several others.
Born in South Korea in 1989, Suyeon Kang began the violin at the age of 6 in Canberra (Australia) with Josette Esquedin Morgan, furthering her studies in Sydney and Melbourne with Alice Waten and Goetz Richter. She was named the youngest ever Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year in 2005 at the age of 16, which led to performances as soloist with many of the major Australian orchestras. Whilst in Australia she recorded extensively for radio stations ABC Classic FM, 2MBS FM and 3MBS FM.
In 2007 Kang moved to Germany to study with Professor Daniel Gaede, and since 2009 has been working as his assistant.
Kang has appeared as soloist with the Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra (KORK), Bayerischer Rundfunk Orchester (Bavarian Radio Orchestra), the Melbourne, Tasmanian, Queensland, and Canberra Symphony Orchestras, Orchestra Victoria etc. She has performed extensively in recitals in concert venues throughout Europe, Australia and Asia.
A passionate chamber musician, Suyeon Kang has appeared with artists such as Siegfried Jeruselem, Julius Berger, Franz Halasz, Daniel Gaede, Elisabeth Zeuthen-Schneider and Màtè Szücs amongst several others, and recently formed duos with the cellist Jacob Shaw and the guitarist Stefan Grasse. Always keen to push the limit of the capabilities on the violin she has worked with musicians and composers of different musical horizons, ranging from classical to jazzifolk music.
