Haydn Staples & Auckland Philharmonia Piano Scholarship Programme
The Haydn Staples & Auckland Philharmonia Piano Scholarship Programme is awarded to three Piano Scholars each year for showing outstanding potential and commitment to excelling both nationally and internationally as a pianist. Since 2018 we have supported 15 students and provided 24 scholarships.
The Scholarship Programme is administered by the Auckland Philharmonia, in conjunction with the University of Auckland’s School of Music, and made possible by the generous support of Haydn Staples. The Programme supports the Scholars for the duration of their studies by providing them with opportunities to develop a wide-ranging portfolio of skills that complement their advanced solo studies. These include:
A scholarship of $2,000 per year towards the cost of music studies
Six extra piano lessons with highly respected New Zealand piano teachers
The opportunity to participate in masterclass with an international artist performing with the Auckland Philharmonia
One performance as part of a piano trio ensemble with Auckland Philharmonia musicians in recital
One solo performance in recital
One solo performance in concert with the Auckland Philharmonia
Tickets to all Auckland Philharmonia piano concerto concerts each season
Employability skills mentoring and professional development
Participation in alumni activities once scholar has completed programme.
Associate Professor Rae de Lisle and Senior Lecturer Stephen de Pledge at the School of Music say:
“We are delighted at the prospect of this new programme for advanced piano students. It aims to provide students with a wide-ranging portfolio of skills to complement their advanced solo studies, and will prove beneficial in numerous ways. This new programme offers opportunities in chamber music, collaborative playing, orchestral piano and communication skills, in addition to a performance-based solo piano focus. These experiences and training opportunities are invaluable for student pianists, and will give them vastly improved options for career paths in many diverse areas of music. As educators our task is to give students the widest range of skills for the marketplace, and the varied skill-set and quality-driven focus of this programme will be highly valued.
This is a unique programme, and is specifically aimed towards greater employability of students at the end of their study. A wealth of performance experience in all areas is offered, alongside training and mentoring from internationally recognised teachers and collaborating musicians. The chosen piano scholars will be those who have outstanding potential and who are committed to excelling both nationally and internationally. The School of Music at the University of Auckland is delighted to partner in this unique initiative with the Auckland Philharmonia, and is grateful for the very generous support of Haydn Staples.”
The Haydn Staples & Auckland Philharmonia Piano Programme is part of Learn & Participate.
Piano Events
Our Students
Class of 2026
Dylan Tang (2025-2026)
Dylan Tang is a 19-year-old second year Bachelor of Music student at the University of Auckland, studying piano under Rae de Lisle and Stephen de Pledge. He began playing piano at the age of six and has since won several piano competitions in New Zealand, including the North Shore Performing Arts Competitions (NSPACS), Lewis Eady, and Institute of Registered Music Teachers (IRMT) competitions.
Recently, Dylan advanced to the first round of the prestigious Vlassenko Competition. In addition to piano, Dylan is passionate about the violin, which he started learning at 11. He is an active member of the university’s symphony orchestra and chamber orchestra, and has participated in multiple chamber music competitions, showcasing his dual talent for both piano and violin.
Class Of 2025
Madeleine Xiao (2023 -2024 - 2025)
Madeleine Xiao is in her final year studying a Bachelor of Music Honours Degree at the University of Auckland. Currently under the tutelage of Rae de Lisle, Bryan Sayer and Katherine Austin, she has achieved numerous top awards and scholarships both nationally and internationally and has performed all around New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Germany and the U.K.
Madeleine has been a top prize winner in every major competition across New Zealand. In 2024, Madeleine won the National Young Performer of the Year Award, reached the semifinals of the international Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition and was awarded the best NZ Pianist Award. She was also a recipient of the 2024 Pettman Royal-Overseas-League Scholarship which enabled her for a career development tour around Europe. Madeleine has played with several orchestras and became the youngest ever winner of the University of Auckland Concerto Competition. She also won the Auckland Youth Orchestra Piano Concerto Competition and has worked with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, TIMM Orchestra, and Bach Musica. She looks forward to performing as soloist with the Auckland Philharmonia in 2025.
As a chamber musician, Madeleine has collaborated with highly acclaimed musicians from all across the world such as Ben Goldscheider, Julian Bliss, Zlatomir Fung, Ben Baker, Justine Cormack and several musicians from Auckland Philharmonia. She has been invited to perform in the At the World’s Edge (AWE) Festival twice, both as an emerging artist and AWE fellow, touring the Central Lakes Region. Madeleine is also a Haydn Staples Auckland Philharmonia Piano Scholar for 2023-2025 and her chamber group, Kaha Trio, is an Auckland Philharmonia Aspiring Musicians ensemble. Winning the 2024 University of Auckland Chamber Music Competition in association with Chamber Music New Zealand, they have been invited to perform across NZ, being regarded as one of the top up-and-coming young ensembles.
William Sun (2025)
Yixuan (William) Sun has started his master’s degree at the University of Auckland, studying classical performance on the piano and the trumpet.
William is a talented pianist, who studies under Rae de Lisle and Justin Bird. He began his musical journey at age 4 with his mother, a piano teacher. He has since achieved notable success, including winning two classes at the 2021 North Shore Performing Arts Competitions and receiving prizes in the 2023 Margaret Doone Memorial Piano Sonata Scholarship. He was also a student under Stephen de Pledge and Richard Mapp, meanwhile, he experienced masterclasses with Joyce Yang, Michael Tsalka, Daniel Lebhardt, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, etc. In 2024, he was selected as a semifinalist in the University of Auckland School of Music Concerto Competition and the Lewis Eady National Piano Competition.
In 2025, William has been selected to perform at the Whakatipu Music Festival which will be held by the World’s Edge Festival.
In addition to his piano study, he has been learning the trumpet with Huw Dann since the beginning of his brass journey. He is currently in the Tian Guo Marching Band, Auckland Youth Orchestra, and University of Auckland Symphony Orchestra.
