Episode 8 of The Talent will feature performances from violinist Felicia La’Forgue and pianist Amanda Pang. Felicia and Amanda will play for mentors Dean Sky-Lucas and Monica Curro, presenting programmes that include the music of Szymanoski and Scriabin. As we get closer to the end of Season 2, don’t forget to vote for the audience prize and remember you can listen back to previous episodes with our podcast! Continue reading to learn more about Felicia and Amanda.

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Violinist Felicia La’Forgue

Felicia has been playing the violin for 13 years and this year achieved her AMusA for violin. Throughout her years she has performed in many varying ensembles including; the Mount Waverley chamber strings and symphonic band (on clarinet), the Victorian States Schools Spectacular Orchestra, and currently the Flagship Melbourne Youth Orchestra. With the Mount Waverley Symphonic band on clarinet, she competed in the Australia International Music Festival, playing in locations like the Sydney Opera house. Felicia is passionate about performing and plans to pursue music as a career into her future.

Felicia will perform:

• K.Szymanoski (arr.P.Kochanski): Chant De Roxanne
• F.Kreisler: Prelude and Allegro in the style of Pugnani

With associate artist Ray Liang (2nd prize winner, Season 1, 2021)

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Pianist Amanda Pang

The earliest career aspiration that Amanda can remember having was to cook like her father. As a child, she would play culinary make-believe in her mother’s asian grocery shop using a concoction of water, tapioca starch, and shredded paper. Fortunately, she found a less messy outlet for her imagination when she was introduced to the piano.

Originally from sunny Queensland, Amanda is a pianist now based in Melbourne. She completed her Bachelor of Music with first-class honours (2018) at the University of Queensland as a student of the late Dr Max Olding. During her studies, Amanda won several solo and collaborative piano awards including the Donald Tugby Piano Prize, the Burnett William Wendorff Piano Prize, the 4MBS Musica Viva Chamber Music Prize, and the Accompanists’ Guild Prize. She was also awarded the Music Honours Prize and a University Medal for outstanding achievement upon graduating. In 2021, Amanda completed her training at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) with Timothy Young and was awarded the prize for ‘Most Outstanding Program’ for her final recital. She also had the privilege of working with Brett Dean for the ANAM Set commissioning project and premiered his piece in May as part of the ANAM Festival. 

Currently, Amanda is active as a soloist, collaborative pianist and teacher. When not at the piano, Amanda stays active through Chinese Lion Dancing. She loves the celebratory nature of the art form and seeing the joy and excitement it brings to people of all ages.

Sophia will perform:

• R.Agnew: Poem No.1
• A.Scriabin: Piano Sonata No.5, Op.53

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