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...
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...
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 within the span of four years, passed her Grade 8 examination with Distinction. Two years after starting cello, Harper took up the piano and has now passed her Grade 5 examination. Away from the...
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...
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....
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....
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. ...
Bryan started playing in AYO in 2017. He is studying towards his piano performance degree at the University of Auckland and hopes to further his study in violin performance thereafter. Bryan enjoys performing for people in the community and loves playing in (too many) orchestras as well as smaller chamber music ensembles. Outside of...