Soloists Shine in Annual College Music Competition

The Solo Music Competition remains a highlight of the College’s musical calendar, offering students a platform to showcase both technical excellence and artistic expression. This year, the competition final was brought forward to 24 July, following a highly competitive preliminary round at the end of Term 2.

For the first time, the competition featured new categories in contemporary strings and traditional instruments, widening the scope of participation and reflecting the breadth of talent within the College. From the youngest musicians to seasoned Senior performers, each finalist brought something unique to the stage.

The finals were adjudicated by Jasmine Sun, Assistant Director of Performing Arts at Diocesan and an accomplished pianist and flautist, and Rachel Sutherland, who returns to the panel from last year. Rachel is an Outreach Mentor with the NZ Choral Federation and Choirs Aotearoa New Zealand. Both judges commended the students for their musicianship, stage presence and expressive interpretation.

Middle School student Hao Tian Peter Hu impressed in his category, taking out the Overall Winner title after winning the Piano section. In the Senior School division, the judges were unable to separate two standout performances from Isaac Chang (piano) and Lawrence Liu (alto saxophone), culminating in a shared Overall Winner award in what was described as an exceptionally high-standard field.

Category winners included Kevin Yang (Contemporary Strings), Chian Wan (Classical Strings), Oliver Bennett (Vocal), Jimmy Zhang (Brass), Ryan Cen (Woodwind), Eason Liu (Percussion), and Vanessa Leong (Traditional Instrument) in the Middle School division. In the Senior School, the category winners were James Moyes (Contemporary Strings), Maodong Li (Classical Strings), Estonia Hardie (Vocal), Seamus Wong (Brass), Josh Eaton (Percussion), and again, Isaac Chang and Lawrence Liu for Piano and Woodwind respectively.

This competition not only celebrates individual excellence but also reflects the strength of the music programme and its culture of mentoring and performance. The Overall Winners went on to perform at the College Gala Concerts on 7 and 8 August in Elliot Hall, giving our community the opportunity to hear these outstanding musicians once again.