Working with the world’s best

Jani Haenke winners
Jani Haenke String Quartet

A Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU) string and wind ensemble will use some of the world’s best instruments after winning a University competition recently.

The competition, made possible as part of a bequest from the Jani Haenke Charitable Trust, provides a string quartet and wind quintet with access to high-quality instruments for 12 months.

The Jani Haenke String Quartet winners includes Sunkyoung Kim (1st violin), Minnie Hong (2nd violin), Lara Baker-Finch (viola) and Carla Mulligan (cello).

QCGU Head of Strings Michele Walsh said the use of high-quality instruments was normally beyond the reach of students.

“The students are a talented ensemble who have taken every opportunity to develop their skills as chamber musicians,” Michele said.

“The fact they will now have this fine quartet of beautifully balanced instruments to play for the next year is a wonderful chance for them to further develop their playing,“ she said.

The inaugural Jani Haenke Wind Quintet winners includes Monash Lal (flute), Anneka Celotto (oboe), Holly Smith (clarinet), Elliott McGuire (bassoon), and Jacob Aspinall (horn).

QCGU Acting Head of Wind Eve Newsome said the winning students demonstrated great passion and skill.

“The wind students all showed a mature understanding of the wind chamber music excerpts and demonstrateda passion for performing it,” Eve said.

As part of the prize, the emerging musicians will also take part in the Jani Haenke Young Musicians project as part of the Stradbroke Island Festival and work with eminent professional chamber musicians.

Jani Haenke Wind Quintet
Jani Haenke Wind Quintet