FIRST STRINGS: Violinist Grace McKenzie (pictured), a first-year performance major at Auckland University, and University of Auckland Symphony Orchestra principal cellist Mariko Windecker were the first musicians to take the stage for the annual Gisborne International Music Competition when it started yesterday. McKenzie’s programme included Bach’s Chaconne from Partita, and Prokofiev’s Andantino from Concerto No. 1 in D major, while Windecker’s included Piazolla’s Le Grand Tango and Kodaly’s Cello Sonata Op. 4. She was backed by pianist Rachel Song. Pictures by Liam Clayton
Strings opened the week-long Gisborne International Music Competition (GIMC) at the War Memorial Theatre yesterday.
Among the 25 New Zealanders and 19 international musicians who arrived in Gisborne last week for this year’s competition was cellist Mariko Windecker, who was first up for the first round of the 2017 event.