Young pianist to dazzle Whanganui

Tony Chen Lin will perform in Whanganui next week.

Celebrated young Kiwi pianist Tony Chen Lin returns for a national tour in September and October, performing in more than ten New Zealand centres as part of Chamber Music New Zealand's 2016 Encompass Series. The concert in Whanganui is presented by the Chamber Music Wanganui in association with the Foundation Music School, Wanganui Collegiate School.

Mr Chen Lin was born in China and moved to New Zealand with his parents when he was six. His first encounter with music came at the age of 12 with keyboard lessons, before advancing to piano a year later with Rosemary Stott. At fourteen, Mr Chen Lin made his concerto debut after winning the Christchurch Junior Concerto Competition in 2002.

Winner of the 40th New Zealand National Concerto Competition in 2007, Mr Chen Lin completed his Bachelor of Music with first class honours at the University of Canterbury in 2009, in piano performance and composition.

After studying in Singapore for a short time, Mr Chen Lin gained a Master of Music at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg in Germany in 2013. As part of his graduation concerts, Mr Chen Lin formed his own chamber orchestra to perform, as well as conduct, a Mozart piano concerto from the piano. He recently graduated with distinction from a soloist diploma. Recent highlights include performances of Bartók's First Piano Concerto in Freiburg, as well as appearing in the "Rising Stars!" Festival in 2015, performing as soloist with the Stuttgart State Orchestra.

On this tour Mr Chen Lin will be performing master works of the piano repertoire by Bach, Beethoven, Bartok and Schumann alongside his very own composition penned especially for this tour.

Mr Chen Lin performs at the Prince Edward Auditorium, Wanganui Collegiate School on Friday, 14 October 14 at 7.30pm. Tickets available from the Royal Wanganui Opera House or at the door, $35 adults seniors $28 and students $5 or by subscription.