Cello Recital by Mok-hyun Gibson-Lane

Media Release

8 November 2005

Cello Recital by Mok-hyun Gibson-Lane

Tonight one of New Zealand’s finest young musicians, Mok-hyun Gibson-Lane, former student of American vituoso cellist Lynn Harrell, will perform works by Bach, Ligeti, Dvorak and Popper at St Andrews on the Terrace, in Wellington, commencing 7.30 p.m. Pianist Bruce Greenfield, one of NZ’s finest accompanists and vocal coaches, will accompany her. Door sales will be available at the venue from 7 p.m. Tuesday night 8 November. Adults $15 Student Concession $10. Background on the performers and details on the programme are set out.

Mok-hyun Gibson-Lane graduated Master of Musical Performance (cello) from Rice University (Houston, Texas) in May 2005 after studying for three years under the American virtuoso Lynn Harrell. She studied there on a full tuition scholarship awarded by Rice University. After completing a Bachelor of Musical Performance degree (1st Class Hons) at Victoria University, Wellington, she was a recipient of the Patricia Pratt Scholarship for Overseas Study (2002) and the Barbara Finlayson Scholarship (2002-2005). Earlier she received the John Burns Award for Courage and Perseverance from the Public Trust (1999), the Sainbury-Rigby scholarship from Trinity College of London for Postgraduate Studies in 2001 and the Alex Lindsay Memorial Award from the NZ Symphony Orchestra (1999, 2003). While at Canterbury University in 1999 she studied with Natalia Pavlutskaya and Dr Alexander Ivashkin and with Dr Rolf Gjelston (1993-1998) and Euan Murdoch (2000-2002) while at Victoria University.

In March 2004 Mok-hyun won second prize in the NZ Young Musician of the Year Competition playing the Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra. While at Rice University she was a member of the Shepherd School Symphony Orchestra (2002-2005) and was appointed principal cellist in December 2003. Her professional orchestral experience began as a Substitute Section Player with the NZ Symphony Orchestra: two-month contracts (2002, 2003, 2004). On her return to NZ in July 2005 she has been working full-time on contract with the orchestra involving travel to the United Kingdom and Europe.

Mok-hyun began cello lessons in 1991 at the age of nine and first learnt from Kathy Paterson (1990-1992) then Judith Hyatt (1992-1993). She attended Samuel Marsden Collegiate School (1996-1998). In 1995, at the age of thirteen, she was appointed as the youngest sub-principal with the NZ National Youth Orchestra and was a recipient of the Hannan Clark Exhibition prize (Trinity College of Music, London) for gaining the highest mark in grade eight music examinations worldwide. In the same year she was a finalist in the Westpac Seconday Schools Chamber Music Competition. The following year she was awarded the Inaugural Duke of Kent Prize (Trinity College, 1996), an all-expenses paid trip for two weeks for two adults, to the United Kingdom. She traveled there with her family in August 1997 and spent a week as a participant at the celebrated Dartington International Summer School. There she received tuition from cellists Karina Georgian and Matthew Barley.

In 1996 she was awarded First Prize in the NZ Post Wellington Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition for her performance of the Saint-Saens Cello Concerto No. 1 Op. 33. In 2001 she won First Prizes in the Victoria University Concerto Competition and also the Duo Competition (with Jennifer Lee). She has been selected to participate four times in the bi-annual Adam Australasian International Cello Festival and Competition held in Christchurch and has had wide experience working with many talented musicians in chamber music ensembles. She has appeared on National Television, Concert FM, and has featured in articles in Wellington’s leading newspapers. In a Listener Magazine article (Dec/Jan 1996/97) she was ranked among the top six performers in NZ Arts for 1996. She has taken part in master classes given by world-renowned cellists such as: Sigfried Palm, Dr Alexander Ivashkin, Steven Isserliss, Young-Chang Cho, Raphael Wallfisch, Laurence Lesser, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Georg Pederson and Maria Kliegel.

Bruce Greenfield is one of NZ’s finest accompanists and vocal coaches. During his sixteen years on the staff of the Massey Conservatorium of Music he taught many young musicians who are now the new generation of performers. He was Artistic Administrator of Wellington City Opera for the years (1996-1999) and is currently Head Repetiteur and coach for the NBR NZ Opera. He continues to work as coach and accompanist to leading NZ singers including Dame Malvina Major, Margaret Medlyn and Jonathan Lemalu.

CONCERT PROGRAMME

St Andrews on The Terrace
8 November 7.30 p.m.

Sonata for Solo Cello

György Ligeti (b. 1923)

I Dialogo - Adagio rubato, Cantabile

II Capriccio – Presto Con slancio

Concerto for Cello and Orchestra In B Minor, Opus 104

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

I Allegro

Suite for Solo Cello in C Minor BWV 1011

J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

Prelude, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue

Hungarian Rhapsody Opus 68

David Popper (1878-1931)

ENDS

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