Marianna Kang studied at the University of Auckland, with Stephen De Pledge and Dr. Rae De Lisle. Originally from Hamilton, Marianna began learning the piano at the age of six years old. Ever since, her love for music has grown and she has actively performed at concerts and participated in competitions. She has won awards and scholarships at various competitions, such as the National Young Performer Awards (PACANZ) held in Palmerston North, and the Wallace National Piano Competition- in 2019 Marianna received the SOUNZ award for the best performed piece by a New Zealand composer. She was also selected as a semifinalist at the 2019 Christchurch National Concerto Competition. Marianna also finds great joy in chamber music and has attended the Adam Summer School for Chamber Music held in Nelson. There she received coaching from the New Zealand String Quartet, Diedre Irons and Jian Liu. As a Haydn Staples Piano scholar in both 2019 and 2020, Marianna enjoyed developing her knowledge and skills as a musician.

Soomin Kim studied a BMus/ BCom conjoint degree at the University of Auckland where she majored in Classical Performance on piano and Accounting. Born in Korea, she began learning the instrument at the age of six and attended a conservatoire in Year 8. After a two-year break, she resumed her piano education when she moved to New Zealand in Year 11.

Her achievements include IRMT Margaret Doone Sonata Scholarship 2018 and Piano Trader 21st Century Scholarship 2017 in Auckland, first prize in Piano Programme class at Tauranga Performing Arts Competitions 2017, first in both Concerto and Composition classes at Rising Stars Competitions 2015, and her LTCL Recital in 2015. Since her entry to the University in 2017, she has been exposed to other areas of music such as Collaborative Piano and Conducting, and her particular interest in Early Keyboard led to her award of Anthony Jennings Memorial Prize in 2019 and the Anna Nathan Early Keyboard Prizes in 2018 at the University.

Modi Deng is a pianist from Dunedin, New Zealand. She completed a full Marsden research scholarship studying a Master of Music with Rae de Lisle and Stephen De Pledge at Auckland University, having earlier completed a Bachelor of English. In March 2018, she received first prize in the National Concerto Competition, performing Rachmaninov’s Concerto No. 3 with Benjamin Northey and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.

Modi has performed concerti by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Chopin, Rachmaninov and Clara Schumann with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, and collegiate orchestras. She has participated in masterclasses and lessons with artists such as Michael Houstoun, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Kathryn Stott, Stephen Hough, and Ian Jones. Her playing has been recorded for Radio NZ Concert and SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music.

An avid chamber musician, Modi’s trio toured the U.K. in July 2018 as the winner of the Pettman/ROSL Arts Chamber Music Arts scholarship. They performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and at St Martin-in-the-Fields. Her trio also received the Auckland Chamber Music Society Prize last year.

Modi accepted a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she completed an Advanced Diploma in 2022. She has also received the Patricia Pratt Scholarship to support her in her studies in London.

“My highlight of 2022 was definitely performing a solo Messiaen Prelude and a Thomas Adès Quartet in Wigmore Hall with cellist Adrian Brendel, a memory to treasure!”