Arrowtown mega-jeweller Sir Michael Hill’s hosting one of New Zealand’s top up-and-coming pianists at month’s end.
Ticket proceeds for the recital by Tony Yan Tong Chen will go towards his postgrad studies at the Cleveland Institute of Music in the United States.
Auckland-born Cheng, who’s of Chinese descent, was one of 12 young artists who performed at the Whakatipu Music Festival, which Hill’s family sponsored, in 2021.
‘‘His playing was absolutely superb, and from there he’s become pretty seriously very, very good,’’ Hill says.
‘‘We’ve been following him ever since and I thought, ‘here’s a chance to give him a bit of a leg-up’, and we don’t choose them lightly — we only have serious players, so I think it will be something awesome.’’
Chen, who’s completed undergrad studies at the Eastman School of Music in the US, is doing a semester at Auckland University before returning to the States.
‘‘My undergrad has been a long five years, I still have at least five years to go — I don’t think it’s getting easier but it’s still a lot of fun.’’
He’s playing works by six composers at The Lodge at The Hills — Liszt, Scriabin, Medtner, Tchaikovksy (a piano arrangement of an orchestral piece) and 21st century works by Kiwi John Psathas, featuring an electronic digital audio-file, and Eastman colleague Zihan Wu.
Chen also plays violin, trumpet and French horn and says he’s earnt more playing the violin, filling in, in orchestras, than the piano in the past month.
Last month he also attended the Michael Hill International Violin Competition’s final round in Auckland and was impressed again by the proficiency of the organisers, which he’d noticed in Queenstown two years ago.
That trip, he says, was a highlight of his 18-month ‘‘pandemic stay’’ in NZ, he says, so he’s looking forward to returning.
‘‘It will be hopefully a great experience and I hope I can play well.’’
Tony Yan Tong Chen piano recital, The Lodge at The Hills, July 21, 7pm; tickets $59 from eventfinda
