CLiK the ensemble Features Three Emerging Stars   21 Jul 2015

CLiK the ensemble Features Three Emerging Stars in Wellington in August

Three of New Zealand's top young chamber musicians come together for the first time as CLiK the ensemble to tour to 10 New Zealand centres in August as part of Chamber Music New Zealand’s 2015 Kaleidoscopes season.

CLiK the ensemble performs in Wellington at the Michael Fowler Centre on Saturday 22 August as part of the tour which includes Hamilton, New Plymouth, Napier, Palmerston North, Nelson, Invercargill, Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland.

The tour is part of the celebrations marking the 50th Jubilee of the New Zealand Community Trust Chamber Music Contest with each of the trio – John Chen, Edward King and Natalie – having been part of a winning ensemble.

Edward (cello) and Natalie (violin) were both in Czechpoint which won the contest in 2005, while pianist John Chen was in the 2001 winning ensemble.

The three musicians have known each other since childhood, but have not previously performed as a trio.

“Eddie and I knew each other as kids, but had lost touch until last year,” Natalie says adding that her sister Christabel was in John’s winning ensemble in 2001.

“John played for Christabel and I as accompanist for our music exams.”

Natalie played in the Chamber Music Contest every year from when she started at secondary school and was in Year 12 when Czechpoint won. She has since gone on to study in the United States and is currently pursuing doctorate studies at Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houstoun.

“When we began doing the competitions none of us really thought about music as a career, and look where we are now.”

Considered to be three of New Zealand’s leading emerging international music stars, Natalie, Edward and John have continued winning awards as they carve out their music careers. Natalie finished in the top six at the prestigious Michael Hill International Violin Competition in 2013 and won the Audience Prize while John remains the youngest ever (at 18 years) winner of the prestigious Sydney International Piano Competition, and Edward won a special Lutostawski prize at the Witold Lutostawski International Cello Competition.

Natalie, John and Edward are childhood friends and have had the chance to become reunited as friends and musicians through chamber music.

Edward says he is looking forward to the upcoming tour. “It’s a great honour and pleasure to play with such good musicians and friends.

“I have a vivid memory of listening to the radio broadcast of John’s Sydney Competition performances and being in total awe of his playing; likewise with Natalie, who I have known since we were in primary school."

The programme for the Wellington concert is a showcase of solos and duos crowned by Schubert’s first piano trio – this late Schubert work simultaneously mixes power and the intimacy of expression.

CLiK the ensemble performs at the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington on Saturday 22 August at 7.30pm with a free pre-concert talk at 6.30pm. Tickets are available through Ticketek on 0800 TICKETEK (842 538) www.ticketek.co.nz and for more details, visit www.chambermusic.co.nz

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