2009 Finalists
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GLENN CHRISTENSEN
Glenn Christensen is 19 years old and began playing violin at the age of 4, learning by the Suzuki method in the regional Queensland town of Mackay. Under the tutelage of Diane Powell, he was awarded his A.Mus.A in 2005 at the age of 15. Now studying with Michele Walsh at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Glenn is in his second year of a Bachelor of Music majoring in Advanced Performance. He has won several of the Conservatorium’s major prizes, including the Matilda Jane Aplin Prize, the Vada Jeffries Bach Prize, the Maurice Mears Memorial Prize for dedication to his studies and was also awarded second place in the Ronald Clifford Davis Prize.
Having played in various orchestras and groups from a young age, Glenn is a talented ensemble player. He is a member of the Australian Youth Orchestra and has participated in many AYO programs. He currently holds principal positions in the Conservatorium’s Chamber and Symphony Orchestras, and also performs frequently with his chamber group, the Telos Quartet.
In other musical fields, Glenn has toured both nationally and internationally as a member of the renowned national children’s choir Gondwana Voices, and at his university college he is part of an all-male a cappella group. He also studied piano from an early age, and was awarded his ATCL in 2007. Glenn is a valued member of his community, and because of his contribution to the musical life of his hometown, he was awarded the 2008 Australia Day “Young Citizen of the Year” in Mackay.
Two days after winning the Kendall National Violin Competition, Glenn won the Ronald Clifford Davis Violin Prize offered by Griffith University in conjunction with thr Queensland Conservatorium and was chosen for the Australian Youth Orchestra's International Tour in 2010.
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ARIS CAO
Born in 1994, Aris Cao began learning the violin at the age of six. From that age, she showed early promise, winning a number of eisteddfods and competitions. However, at the age of 11, she commenced her studies with Goetz Richter, the current Head of Strings at the Conservatorium of Sydney.
In 2007, Aris enrolled at the Conservatorium High School and has been doing music seriously ever since. In 2008, she was runner up in the Ku-ring-gai Secondary School’s Concerto Competition playing Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole with the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic at The Gillian Moore Centre for Performing Arts at PLC. In the same year, Aris also won the Wenkhart Scholarship for young violinists under the age of 16 in the McDonalds’ eisteddfod and third in the open division Violin Award.
As well as having performed in many competitions in Australia, Aris is also keen on chamber music and playing in orchestras. She hopes to one day become a professional musician. |
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LIISA PALLANDI
Liisa is currently in her third year of a Bachelor of Music at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, studying with Associate Professor Goetz Richter. One of Liisa’s early teachers Marija Stojakovic (nee Zivkovik), an accomplished violinist and opera singer, who greatly inspired Liisa with her passionate musicality. Liisa has also received master classes from such violinists as Erika Raum (Canada), Berent Korfker (England), Tonu Reimann (Estonia) and Michael Dauth.
She was awarded her A mus in 2003, and her HSC performance of Piazzollaï’s Libertango was selected for ENCORE 2007. Liisa was awarded a USYD Merit Scholarship in 2007 and membership of the Golden Key Society in 2008 for her academic achievements.
Liisa is an avid orchestral musician. She has been a member of the Sydney Symphony Sinfonia since 2007 and has participated in numerous Australian Youth Orchestra programs, including their international tour in 2007. She has led the Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra and Modern Music Ensemble. In 2009, she is the concertmaster of the Sydney Youth Orchestra, which has included performances of Rimsky-Korsakovï’s Scheherezade. She hopes to pursue a career as an orchestral musician in the future. |
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SUJIN PARK
Sujin Park began violin lessons at the age of 6. In 1996 she began lessons with Alice Waten at The Australian Institute of Music as a scholarship holder in the Young Musicians Program. She was awarded a full music scholarship at her high school, Pymble Ladies’ College. She also held the music scholarship while attending the Sydney Conservatorium Access Centre. Sujin received her A.Mus.A at the age of 11, and L.Mus.A at the age of 13, both with distinction.
Sujin is an experienced performer in both solo playing and chamber music as she has had much practice at The Australian Institute of Music, the Conservatorium Access Centre and at school. She was the leader for her school quartet, school’s orchestras and the Conservatorium Access Centre orchestra. She performed several times at the NSW Art Gallery lunchtime concerts and while attending the Australian Institute of Music, her quartet was asked to play at a concert in Kendall.
Sujin has won many awards and medals in the McDonalds Performing Arts Challenge. She won the prize in the Multiple Concerto section of the 2003 KPO NSW Secondary Schools Concerto Competition and she won the Outstanding Prize in 2004 in the same competition. She then performed with the Penrith Symphony Orchestra at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith, as well as the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra, from invitation. In 2005, she got into the finals of the 2MBS-FM Young Performers Competition, where she was broadcast live on radio.
After graduating from high school, Sujin spent two years at Macquarie University studying law and business administration. However, she realised that she was much more passionate about music and she is now studying with Associate Professor Goetz Richter at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Sujin is the winner of the 2009 Dorcas McClean Travelling Scholarship valued at $30,000
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