Our second performer for the first episode of Season 2 is pianist Nicholas Khong!

—

Nicholas Khong is a Year 11 student, studying piano with Mr. Glenn Riddle. In 2020, at age 15, Nicholas completed Associate in Music, Australia Diploma (AMusA) with Distinction.

Nicholas won many prizes in piano competitions. Most recently, he won the 2021 Kault Piano Prize. In 2019, Nicholas won 1st Prize Bernstein National Piano Competition, 2nd Prize Eisteddfod by the Bay and 3rd Prize Nehama Patkin Memorial Award, 2020 Balwyn High School Music Scholarship, 1st Prize 2017 Waverley Music Eisteddfod and 3rd Prize 2016 Melbourne International Music Competition, 2018 Best Haydn Performance, Music of The 19th Century, 2019 Best Mozart Performance, 2020 Best Debussy Performance in the Great Composers Competition.

At the international front, Nicholas debuted at Carnegie Hall, NY in 2018 for the American Protégé Winners’ Recital.

One of his favourite pieces to play is General Lavine, composed by fun and quirky Debussy. Music isn’t just a fun hobby, it was some sort of a refuge and ray of hope during stressful times.

Nicholas is aiming to complete Licentiate in Music, Australia (LMuSA) by end of 2021 and continue his music studies into tertiary levels, with the hope of “giving back” his knowledge and skills to the younger generation.

Nicholas will perform:

• Peter Sculthorpe: Mountains
• Olivier Messiaen: “I sleep, but my heart keeps awake” – Reflections of the Infant Christ, No. 19

Tune in to hear Nicholas perform at 7pm on Tuesday, 3 August! Listen to the live broadcast at 3mbs.org.au, on 103.5FM, or catch up later on our podcast.