Yitian Jia, 13 years old, has been studying the violin since the age of 5 and is currently preparing for his diploma exam. He has years of experience playing in school string orchestra and the North Shore Youth Orchestra. TianTian has participated in multiple APO Summer Schools and has attended the ASQ International Music...
13-year-old Euanne Lee is a Year 9 student at Epsom Girls Grammar School. She began playing the violin at age seven with Sigurd Feiring of the Conservatoire, Blackheath, London and quickly developed a deep passion for orchestral music. Her journey began with the Royal Greenwich Youth Orchestra in 2019, and since moving to New...
Madeleine began playing cello at age 7, completing her Grade 8 in 2022 and is currently working towards her ATCL. She is in her final year of school at Diocesan School for Girls, where she is the principal cello of the chamber orchestra. She has been a member of the school symphony orchestra since...
Fifteen-year-old Yiran Zhao started learning the cello with Taki Zhang at the age of 13 and has recently sat her ATCL exam. Yiran is a new member of AYO in 2025 and is looking forward to playing in a big orchestra. Yiran enjoys using the cello to express her feelings through different types of...
Ashley is a Year 9 student at ACG Parnell who began her musical journey with piano at the age of 6 before discovering her passion for the cello at age 7. A committed and competitive musician, she has received numerous accolades, including the 2023 SAPAC Junior String Championship Cup, the Dora Green Cup for...
Calista is a dedicated Year 12 student who began her journey with the violin in 2018. She has been a vital part of the KJSH School Orchestra in Taiwan from ages 12 to 15 and plays in the chamber group at Takapuna Grammar School. In addition to her passion for playing the violin, Calista...
Hyungwoo (Harry) Kim is 16 years old and attends ACG Strathallan as a Y12 Music Scholarship Student. He is also a part-time music tutor for the Papakura Music School and teaches privately. Harry started music at the age 7 on the piano, achieving up to Grade 3, all with high distinction and attending New...
Lucas is in Year 10 at Rangitoto College. He started playing violin at the age of 6 with the Suzuki Method and is currently studying with Milly Rout. In his years of playing the violin, he has been a member of the KBB Honours Music Programme in 2024 and was the soloist for the...
Samantha (or Sam) is in her first year studying a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Auckland. She started learning cello in Year 9 from Anthony Elmsly, after being encouraged by her school music teacher. Ever since then her passion for music has grown, expanding her musicality. She also picked up drums in...
Eleven year old Harper Zhang started learning the cello at the age of seven with her teacher Taki Zhang, and passed her Trinity ATCL examination in 2024. Two years after starting cello, Harper took up the piano and has now passed her Grade 5 examination. Away from the cello, Harper also has a passion...
Ali is a Year 12 student currently attending Sacred Heart College. He has been playing the cello since he was 6 years old and is a member of the chamber group Triosica, which received the Auckland region Adjudicator’s Award in the 2023 NZCT Chamber Contest and was 1st in the Sacred Heart College music...
Eleanor is a second-year student at the University of Auckland, majoring in a Bachelor of Music, performance violin and a Bachelor of Science in Physics, in conjoint. Eleanor’s love for the violin started at age 7 and she has been playing ever since, completing grade levels with distinction up to ATCL. She received multiple...
William is in his first year studying Engineering at the University of Auckland. He enjoys music and juggling and is looking forward to making music with AYO in 2024....
Sabrina is a Year 11 student who holds a Royal Schools of Music Certificate in both Performance and Theory. She plays violin and piano. Sabrina not only likes music, but also drawing and sports. She used to do Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, run 400m (placed 1st at school seniors) and ballet in Taiwan. At the end...
Thirteen-year-old Elvies was born in Auckland and attends Pinehurst school. Elvies started playing the piano at the age of 6 and passed ABRSM Grade 8 piano exam three years later. When he was 12, he started playing the cello and became very passionate about it – he is currently studying cello with James Yoo....
Ray is a Year 11 student at King’s College. He has played violin and piano for around 10 years and he is very passionate about them. This year is Ray’s third year in AYO. Outside of music, Ray indulges in ice hockey, martial arts and volleyball....
Celestine started learning the violin at the age of 12 and she is a current student at Mount Albert Grammar School. She has been passionate about music since a young age, when she learnt the piano, and has even had the opportunity to learn the trombone. Celestine plays in the orchestras at school and...
Archie is 17 years old and is entering his final year of school at St Peter’s College in 2023. He has been playing the violin for 8 years and, having gained distinction in his Trinity College Grade 8 exam in 2019, is currently working towards his LTCL diploma. He is the concertmaster of his...
Damon began playing the cello shortly before his 4th birthday. From his formative start through the Suzuki Method with Sally-Anne and Anna-Marie Alloway, Damon went on to intensive studies with baroque specialist James Bush. In 2020 his chamber group Trio Achilles was runner-up at the NZCT National Chamber Music Competition, winning the inaugural Helen Young...
Jessie is a 16-year-old double bass player who will be playing in the AYO for her fourth year in 2024. Her teacher is Evgeny Lanchtchikov and she has played since she was 10 years old. In Jessie’s spare time she enjoys painting and eating chocolate. ...