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.

Dylan Tang (2025)

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.

William Sun (2025)

William Sun is a talented pianist and a student at the University of Auckland majoring in Classical Performance on piano, where he studies under Rae de Lisle and Justin Bird. He began his musical journey at age 4 with his mother, a piano teacher, and has since achieved notable success.

He started to learn with Rae in 2020 and he won two classes at the 2021 North Shore Performing Arts Competitions after one year learning with her. Then, he received a third prize in the 2023 Margaret Doone Memorial Piano Sonata Scholarship. He was also a student under Stephen de Pledge and Richard Mapp, and had the opportunity to participate in multiple 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 Lewis Eady National Piano Competition. In addition to his piano studies, he is also taking performance on trumpet at the university, currently studying with Huw Dann. He demonstrates his versatility as a trumpet player in the Tian Guo Marching Band, Auckland Youth Orchestra, and University of Auckland Symphony Orchestra.

David Li (2024)

David Li is a third-year student at the University of Auckland, majoring in Classical Performance studying under Stephen De Pledge, as well as Information Systems. David was awarded the Swedlund Music Bursary Scholarship Award from the University of Auckland in 2021. David was also awarded 1st place in the IRMTNZ Scholarship Competitions in the DD O’Connor Instrumental and Piano Scholarship in 2021 and 2nd prize in the IRMTNZ Scholarship Competitions - Margaret Doone Sonata Competition in 2023. He has also received top three awards from other competitions such as the NSPAS. 

David is also a passionate chamber pianist and collaborative pianist. His piano-percussion quartet was awarded first prize at the 2023 University of Auckland Chamber Competition. David has been working with WE Classical Music and Maestro Music School since 2020 both as a private piano tutor and accompanist. 

Henry Meng (2022 - 2024)

Henry Meng is a pianist and composer studying at the University of Auckland, where he is mentored by Rae de Lisle and Stephen de Pledge. As a pianist, he has performed with the Auckland Philharmonia and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, he won second place in the National Concerto Competition, with a performance of Rachmaninoff’s third piano concerto. In 2024, he was a performance partner with clarinettist Julian Bliss; his recitals have taken him from Auckland Town Hall to Carnegie Hall. 

As a composer, his works have been performed by leading orchestras in New Zealand, including the Auckland Philharmonia and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO). He was the recipient of the orchestra's 2023 TODD Young Composer’s Award; one of his orchestral pieces, Fanfare, was part of the NZSO’s 2024 concert season.

Catherine Chang (2021 - 2023)

Catherine Chang majored in Classical Performance at the University of Auckland, under Richard Liu.

Catherine starts studying her Masters degree at Guildhall School of Music and Drama, in September 2024. She will be learning from the Head of Keyboardm, Ronan O’Hora and Carole Presland.

In 2020, she was awarded 2nd place and the ‘Best Performance of a Classical Sonata’ award at the New Zealand Junior Piano Competition. She received the ‘Best Performance of a NZ work’ in the recent Lewis Eady National Piano Competition this year. Other notable awards include the Piano Trader’s 20th and 21st Century IRMT Scholarship 2021, PACANZ Young Performer of the Year nominations and multiple prizes across NSPAS and SAPACS competitions. She was recently awarded Peoples' Choice Award and Runner-up for the 2022 National Young Performer of the Year award.

She has had performance opportunities across Auckland, including a performance of the third movement of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra last year, as part of the Haydn Staples Piano Programme. Recent chamber music projects include Dvorak’s Piano Quartet in D major Op. 23 with APO players.

She was also invited to give a full solo recital as part of the 2022 Lewis Eady Emerging Artists Series and was recently awarded the Janetta McStay Prize for Pianists from the University of Auckland.

Catherine has had masterclasses from Olli Mustonen, Natalia Ricci, Nigel Clayton, Niel Immelman, Ian Jones, Marta Zabaleta, Bryan Sayer, Dr. Rae de Lisle, Stephen de Pledge, Sylvia Jiang, Dr. Joong-Han Jung, Gillian Bibby, and Tom McGrath.

Catherine has been working at the Chiron Music Academy since 2021 – both as a piano teacher and collaborative pianist/ coach for instrumental masterclasses, concerts, and exams.

Catherine is in her third year as a Haydn Staples Piano scholar and was a past Chiron Senior Scholarship Holder (2020/2021).

Jessica Chi

Jessica Chi is a third-year student at the University of Auckland, studying with Sarah Watkins. She passed the Trinity College, London LTCL Diploma exam with high distinction and has gained several first and second places in the South Auckland and West Auckland piano competitions.

She was also selected to participate in the 2018 PACANZ National Young Performer competition and gained third place. Away from the piano, Jessica is also a part-time illustrator.

Xuan (Shuan) Liu

Xuan Liu has recently completed two years studying in Germany. She was successful in receiving the scholarship as a first-year Classical Performance student at the University of Auckland, when she was studying under Rae de Lisle. 

Xuan started playing the piano at the age of six, and has achieved many awards and scholarships in local and national competitions throughout her career. Some highlights would be Margarat Doone Piano Sonata Scholarship, Norah Howell Piano Recital Award, Pacific International Music Competition for Youths and Wallace National Piano Competition.

Chamber music is of great interest to her too: last year, Xuan progressed to the finals of NZCT Chamber Music Contest with her group ‘Trio Achilles’ and won the Helen Young Diamond Award.

She is immensely grateful to be both a Chiron Senior Scholar and a Haydn Staples Scholar in 2021. Xuan is looking forward to the many opportunities available to expand her musical horizons.
Xuan has reflected on her opportunities that the scholarhip provided for her; “Being a Haydn Staples scholar has really set me up for success - especially the chamber music and art song experiences. While studying in Germany, I've realised that being a good chamber musician is the lifeblood of pianists, so coming to Hannover already equipped with these skills has been so helpful for me. Another skill that I have developed thanks to the Haydn Staples Foundation is the ability to present recitals - which is infinitely more difficult for me now as I have to do it in German! In addition, the opportunity to play a concerto is so hard to come by everywhere, so the opportunity to play with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra remains a highlight in my memory”.

Jiazhou Conroy Hu

Jiazhou Conroy Hu began his piano studies at the age of 8. He completed his Bachelor of Music at University of Auckland in 2022. Conroy is currently in New York completing his Master’s degree at Mannes School of Music.

Conroy studied under the tutelage of Rae de Lisle, having previously studied with Matteo Napoli. In between his studies, he makes time to transcribe music and compose his own works.  Conroy has performed his works in the Wallace National Piano Competition and his first solo concert in Nelson two years ago. 

Over the years, he has won various categories in local competitions throughout New Zealand. At Auckland Grammar, he received the Senior Minister’s plate twice, in 2014 and 2016, and was also awarded the Headmaster’s Performing Arts Scholarship in 2016.

Conroy has performed with the Auckland Symphony Orchestra in Kerikeri (2016) and has won the Tauranga Performing Arts Competition Society Major Award (2016). In the same year, Conroy was a finalist in the Wallace National Junior Piano Competition and received the Lions Club of Te Awamutu Scholarship.

Marianna Kang (2019 & 2020)

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 (2019 & 2020)

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 (2018 & 2020)

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!”

Frank Chen

Frank Chen was born in Auckland, New Zealand and started playing the piano from the age of eight, developing a love for the instrument from an early age.

Frank has recently completed his Masters Degree in classical performance at the University of Auckland. During his time at University, Frank has studied piano with Richard Liu, Stephen de Pledge and is now currently working with Rae de Lisle. Some of Frank’s musical highlights include competing in many competitions such as, the 50th & 51st Christchurch concerto competitions, Margaret Donne sonata competition, the NSPAS competitions and the National Wallace competition. Over time, Frank has developed interest in Chamber music and performing as an accompanist, which is something he is looking to pursue in future.

His musical goals are based around performing.  He is now teaching music, to share his passion for music and help others.

Sara Lee

Sara began her piano studies at the age of six in South Korea and studied for several years with Soo Jung Shin, winning several regional competitions including Dong-A Piano Competition and the Jung ang il bo competition. She moved to Moscow to study piano with Sergei Dorensky and Mikhail Voskresensky at the Tchaikovsky Music School in Moscow and won many awards from the school including its Outstanding Performance Award.

She has since been a prize winner in international and national competitions including the USA Cincinnati World Piano Competition, grand prize (2003); Citta di Barletta in Italy, first prize (2005); Austria International Chopin Piano Competition, second prize and best performance prize (2010); Moscow Young Pianist Competition (2012), and the Lyon International Piano Competition (2012). She won the University of Auckland Graduation Gala Concerto Competition in 2017 and has played concerts in world renowned halls such as Carnegie Hall (USA), the Rachmaninoff Hall of Moscow Conservatory, the Wiener Saal of Mozarteum (Austria), Konzertsal Handel Karee Haus (Germany), and Lyon Conservatory Hall (France). She has participated in masterclass with acclaimed pianists such as Dimitri Bashkirov, Andrej Jasinski, Pavel Gililov, Boris Giltburg. Currently she is studying at the University of Auckland with Rae de Lisle and Stephen de Pledge.

Siyu Sun

New Zealand pianist Siyu Sun has performed as a recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber musician in many of the world’s leading concert halls. Highlights include the Royal Albert Hall, Steinway Hall London, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, St. James Church Piccadilly, Milton Court Concert Hall, Auckland Town Hall, and Queensland Conservatorium Hall.

Siyu has won national and international competitions; the Guildhall Romantic Prize in London, Auckland Chamber Music Society Prize, and National Concerto Competition. Recently, she was a finalist in the keyboard section of the Royal Overseas League competition, winner of the Tait Memorial Prize for an Outstanding Australian/New Zealand Musician, and prize winner of the Sheepdrove International Competition. She has been a semi-finalist in the Birmingham International Piano Competition, Florence International Music Competition and 28th International Piano Competition 2023 Giulio Rospigliosi. As a concerto soloist, Siyu has performed with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and Wellington Chamber Orchestra.

Also a passionate chamber musician, Siyu was invited to perform in the 2022 BBC Total Immersion concert in collaboration with the Barbican. She was selected to perform in a two piano team as part of GSMD’s Summer Chamber Music Festival of July 2021 and in 2022 she will perform with Wind Quintet, in collaboration with distinguished flautist, Philippa Davies. Siyu has performed in the NZSO National Youth Orchestra on both French horn and orchestral piano.

Siyu recently completed an Artist Diploma with Distinction, the highest level of taught post-graduate study, at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Professors Ronan O'Hora and Carole Presland. 

In 2025 Siyu is supported by the Guildhall School Trust, Patricia Pratt and Kiwi Music Scholarship Trust, Anne Bellam, Inspire Foundation, Dame Malvina Major Foundation, Kathleen Marydon Travelling Scholarship, Jack McGill Music Scholarship. She holds prizes including the Best New Zealand Pianist Prize, Virtuoso Prize, and Blues Award for most Meritorious Performance in the Arts and Culture.