JENNEN NGIAU-KENG (Winner)
Jennen studied at Camberwell Grammar School from 1994 to 2001 on a full academic and music scholarship, and at the Australian National Academy of Music from 2002 to 2005 as a full scholarship student with the Advanced Performance Program. In 2008, he completed a Master of Music Studies Degree at the University of Tasmania, under the guidance of Jun Yi Ma.

Jennen has won over a hundred awards and prizes in competitions, including the 16th Gisborne International Music Competition (New Zealand) in 2004, and the 8th Kendall National Violin Competition in 2006.

He has toured Australia, Europe and Asia as a soloist, and has performed concertos with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, Victorian Concert Orchestra, Ballarat Symphony Orchestra, Maroondah Symphony Orchestra, Preston Symphony Orchestra, Manningham Symphony Orchestra, Australian National Academy of Music Orchestra, Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra, Melbourne String Ensemble, Melbourne Chamber Ensemble, Melbourne Suburban Orchestra, Monash Sinfonia Orchestra, Melbourne Youth Orchestra, Melbourne University Intercollegiate Orchestra, Melbourne Sinfonietta Orchestra and Camberwell Grammar School Orchestra.

He has acted as Guest Concertmaster of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO), has toured the U.S and Australia extensively with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, and is also a casual member of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra Victoria.

Jennen has been interviewed and broadcast on Australian television channels 2, 7, 9, 10 and 31 and radio stations 3MBS FM, ABC Classic FM, ABC National Radio, SBS FM and New Zealand Radio. He has held a masterclass at Melbourne University on violin technique, and is a demonstrating violinist on the 'Australian Music Examination Board (AMEB) Technical Syllabus and Key Techniques' CD-Rom series.
June 2009

BING XIANG
Bing was born 1987 in China, and relocated to Melbourne at the age of 4. He commenced violin lessons at the age of 8 with Sook Yoon, attending Camberwell Boys Grammar under a full music scholarship for 3 years. He then attended the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School from year 9 onwards, continuing his violin lessons with Miwako Abe.

Bing Xiang has been awarded numerous prizes including the Paul McDermott Scholarship for Violinists, the Austral Salon scholarship and the Preston Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition. In 2004 he was one of the three national finalists in the National Youth Concerto Competition held in Brisbane, QLD, where he performed the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Queensland Youth Orchestra under John Curro.

Bing is very involved in travel and studies as he pursues his musical career. He is currently studying for a B.Mus (Hon) at the Royal Northern College of Music
September 2009

LILLIAN SO
Lillian So’s passion for music was initiated at the age of 6 upon receiving her first violin lesson, and has since been a constant source of joy and personal reward in her life.   She is currently studying with Professor Alice Waten at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Over the years Lillian has attained a high level as a performer.  She received her AMusA and LMusA diplomas with distinctions at the ages of 12 and 14 respectively and has been successful in prestigious competitions.   At the age of 15 she was a finalist for the Kendall National Violin Competition and the Richard Goldner Award, and the winner of the National Youth Concerto Competition in which she performed the Khachaturian Violin Concerto with the Queensland Youth Orchestra.  Between 2006 and 2007 she performed concerto movements from Prokofiev No. 1, Brahms Double and Tchaikovsky with the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra in the NSW Secondary Schools Concerto Competition, where she was the Overall Winner in 2007, winner of the Multiples in 2006, and voted Best Player in both 2006 and 2007.  In 2008 she had the privilege of performing the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic in full.

Beyond the stage, Lillian enjoys engaging with people from diverse walks of life.  During high school she joined a volunteering team for St Vincent De Paul Society’s Night Patrol which delivered food to the homeless of Sydney’s CBD, and undertook work experience at Studio Artes Northside where she assisted with the prevocational training of mentally disabled adults.  These experiences opened her eyes to the dignity of all humans which transcends social stigmas and inequality.

Lillian graduated from High School in 2008 with a UAI of 99.95, having achieved First in the State  for HSC Music in Year 10 (2006) and Tenth in the State in HSC Agriculture in Year 11 (2007).  These results contributed to her receipt of a University of Sydney Outstanding Achievement Scholarship for her current studies in a Combined Music and Medicine degree.  Lillian feels this is a godsend which enables her to fulfil both her personal love for the violin and her deep desire to use her life to serve others in as tangible a way as a career medicine.

Apart from these pursuits, Lillian appreciates art, film, literature, and many genres of music such as Bob Dylan and indie-pop/rock.  She enjoys swimming, reading, indulging her interest in fashion, and investing in relationships both old and new, with people and with God.  Christianity is a central part of her identity and life.
September 2009