We have made it to the tenth and final heats episode of the season with performances this week by cellist Gabriel Liu and pianist Kathy Ma. We welcome guest mentors – cellist Paul Zabrowarny and pianist Vanessa Sharman who will offer comments to our young performers alongside host Heather Fletcher. Keep reading to learn more about Gabriel and Kathy.

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Cellist Gabriel Liu

Gabriel Tian Liu, 12 years old, started the cello at the age of 7 and is currently under the tutelage of David Berlin, Principal Cello of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra; as well as weekly sessions with Australian Cellist Rachel Atkinson, Head of Music Academy in Camberwell Grammar School. Gabriel has also been given the opportunity to participate in multiple masterclasses with world class cellist Li-Wei Qin.

Gabriel attends Camberwell Grammar School in which he was awarded a full music scholarship for the cello, along with participating in multiple chamber groups at school. Gabriel is a keen competitor, winning 1st prize in MSV 15 years and under string section, and many eisteddfods including Monash Music Festival, Boroondara Eisteddfod and Ringwood Eisteddfod. 

Gabriel also participated in MYO’s Flagship Orchestra when he was 11 years old and has performed in numerous chamber groups in Melbourne Conservatorium Young Artists Academy and Camberwell Grammar School, playing extensive repertoire ranging from Mozart’s String Quartet in G minor to Mendelsohn’s Trio in D minor and Dvorak trio No 2. Gabriel has also performed Boccherini’s Cello Sonata, No. 6 with Ms Rachel Atkinson, head of Music Academy at Camberwell Grammar School along with Elgar’s Salut d’ Amour with Scott Wyatt, the Deputy Head of Middle School at Camberwell Grammar School.

Other than cello, Gabriel has studied piano with Len Vorster since he was 5 years old and was awarded his AMusA Diploma for piano with Distinction in June 2023. He will complete his cello LMusA exam in June this year.

Gabriel will perform:

• L.V.Beethoven: Sonata no. 3 for cello and piano in A Major, mvt. I
• G.Cassadó: Suite for solo cello, mvt. I (Preludio – Fantasia)

With associate artist Dr. Leigh Harrold

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Pianist Kathy Ma

Kathy Ma is a 16-year-old pianist at Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School. She started piano when she was five and at the age of nine began learning under internationally acclaimed pianist Coady Green. Kathy has passed both her AMusA and LMusA on piano and has won numerous awards including 2nd Prize at Beecham’s International Piano Competition (UK) and 1st Prize in the Piano Solo Open Section at the Boroondara Eisteddfod Piano Competition.

Kathy attended Chetham’s International Piano Summer School in the UK and has had multiple masterclasses with internationally renowned pianists and professors such as Norma Fischer,  Leslie Howard, Piers Lane, Heribert Koch, and Peter Donohoe. 

This year, Kathy has performed all fifteen of J.S. Bach’s three-part Sinfonias at St George’s Church in February and she will be performing one lunchtime solo concert at St Paul’s Cathedral in July. Recently, Kathy has been selected into the highly selective program Melbourne Young Chamber Music Academy and is learning piano trio chamber music at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music.

As well as piano, Kathy is an accomplished organist at St James’ Anglican Church in Ivanhoe, and she has also given organ performances at St Paul’s Cathedral since last year. At school, Kathy is an active member of various musical ensembles, choirs, and chamber groups, and has performed multiple piano concertos with the school orchestra. She has also performed in many theatre productions at school and is currently preparing AMusA exams for both clarinet and opera singing.

Kathy will perform:

• J.S. Bach: Toccata in C minor, BWV 911
• Prokofiev: Toccata in D minor, Op.11

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