Martin Riseley studied at Juilliard with Dorothy DeLay, where he completed Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts Degrees. He subsequently became Concertmaster of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra for fifteen years and is also former Concertmaster of the Chamber Players of the Juilliard School (now Juilliard Chamber Orchestra), Cape May Festival Orchestra, National Academy Orchestra of Canada, the Johann Strauss Orchestra of Canada, and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. He has played chamber music with some of the leading musicians of our time, including Pinchas Zukerman, Yo Yo Ma and John Kimura Parker, and has held other concertmaster positions, including Interim Associate Concertmaster of the National Arts Center Orchestra, under music director Pinchas Zukerman. Since returning to New Zealand to be Head of Strings at the New Zealand School of Music he has premiered John Corigliano’s Red Violin Chaconne, given performances throughout the country of the complete Paganini caprices, and teamed up with Diedre Irons for regular recitals. He has also made the first CD recordings of some important chamber works of Douglas Lilburn and of violin/piano compositions by David Farquhar. He is also a member of Te Koki Trio, with Jian Liu and Inbal Megiddo, which has performed throughout Australasia and Asia. Their tour with Jennifer Stumm for Chamber Music New Zealand produced a new work by Michael Williams, soon to be released on Atoll Records. He has also collaborated with Michael Houstoun in chamber music concerts several times and completed a short residency of chamber music concerts and masterclasses at Brigham Young University in 2020.

Internationally acclaimed cellist Inbal Megiddo has established herself as one of the leading cellists of her generation, performing as soloist in the world's most prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Berlin Philharmonie, and Staatsoper Berlin. Her concerto performances with leading orchestras such as the Berlin Symphony have earned widespread critical acclaim, with Maestro Zubin Mehta praising her as "an extremely talented, very musical musician." Ms. Megiddo's artistry has garnered international recognition through performances with premier orchestras across four continents, including the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland, Bournemouth Symphony, Ukraine Philharmonic, Lithuanian Philharmonic, and Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. She has collaborated with world-renowned conductors Daniel Barenboim, Shlomo Mintz, Lior Shambadal, and Roman Kaufman, cementing her reputation on the international stage. An advocate for contemporary repertoire, Ms. Megiddo has premiered numerous works by leading composers and given Australasian premieres of concertos by Weinberg, Villa-Lobos, and Barber, with critics describing her performances as "superb...virtuosic, brilliant and powerful." Her commitment to expanding the cello repertoire includes world premieres and collaborations with distinguished composers including Jan Radzynski, Laurence Sherr, Lori Laitman, and John Psathas. Ms. Megiddo's recordings span multiple labels, with releases for Atoll, Naxos, Navona, Delos, and Rattle Records receiving critical acclaim and major international honors. Her Navona Records album earned a Gold Medal at the Global Music Awards, while her recording with the Yale Cellos received a Grammy nomination. Her Beethoven complete works for cello and piano garnered particular praise, while her recordings of Debussy with the Te Kōkī Trio earned a nomination for Best Classical Album at the Aotearoa Music Awards. Upcoming releases include her highly anticipated complete Bach cello suites, the Schumann Concerto, and an album featuring "Forbidden Composers" - works banned by the Nazis. Ms. Megiddo's musical journey began at age two, leading to study at Yale University under renowned cellist Aldo Parisot. Her chamber music collaborations span internationally celebrated artists including members of the Tokyo String Quartet, Erick Friedman, Peter Oundjian, and Boris Berman. As a sought-after pedagogue, Ms. Megiddo serves as Associate Professor at the New Zealand School of Music and has held faculty positions at Oberlin Conservatory and Yale University. She is founder and director of the Cellophonia International Festival, serves as Master Teacher for iClassical Academy's global platform and as juror in competitions, and has presented masterclasses at leading institutions across North America, Europe, Israel, and Australasia. The Stradivari Society's award of a Stradivarius cello for her use recognised her exceptional artistry and international standing. Ms. Megiddo has performed on this historic instrument alongside her Fiorini cello.

Nelson born cellist Lavinnia Rae has resided in London for six years, following her undergraduate studies in New Zealand. In London she completed a Master of Performance with Distinction at the Royal College of Music with Richard Lester. As a Leverhulme Arts Scholar, she completed a MPerf with Distinction in Orchestral Artistry in association with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, under the tutelage of LSO principal cellist Rebecca Gilliver. Lavinnia is currently on trial for tutti cello with the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast, and trialled for tutti cello with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in 2023. In the U.K. she regularly freelances with the London Symphony Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra. At home in New Zealand, Lavinnia has been on contract with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, and performed in the Auckland Philharmonia, and Orchestra Wellington. This past year she appeared as acting principal cello of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. Lavinnia has attended several prestigious international music festivals including acceptance into the festival orchestra of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival in Germany, Chipping Campden Festival Academy Orchestra, and Hellensmusic Festival in the U.K. Further included is the Music Academy of the West, and Castleman Quartet Program in the United States. Her chamber music highlights are performing at the Hellensmusic Festival alongside Tom Poster, Maya Iwabuchi, and Lawrence Power, and attending the three week intensive String Quartet Seminar mentored by the Takács Quartet, at the Music Academy of the West. Additionally, Lavinnia was previously the cellist in the NZSQ’s Troubadours Quartet in 2018.

One of Aotearoa's most versatile violinists, Arna Morton is a passionate performer, educator, and composer, equally comfortable as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral leader, improviser, and commercial event entertainer. After completing Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the New Zealand School of Music, Arna earned her PhD in Violin Performance from the University of Melbourne, where her research explored a personal, authentic, and collaborative approach to interpretation, with a significant focus on Britten’s Violin Concerto, which she performed with the University of Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2016 after winning the University of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music’s Concerto Competition. Arna was a prize-winner at the 2016 Gisborne International Music Competition and joint-winner of the 2014 NZ National Concerto Competition, leading to performances of Szymanowski’s First Violin Concerto and Ravel’s Tzigane with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, where she has served as Principal Second Violin since her appointment in 2021. Chamber music holds a special place in Arna’s career, appearing first as an emerging artist at the 2016 Mimir Chamber Music Festival with Melbourne’s Curve Quartet, followed by the 2017 Adam Chamber Music Festival as part of the Troubadour Quartet. She is a core member of CSO’s Arvida Quartet, performing regularly around Ōtautahi Christchurch, and in 2017, she co-founded the Morton Trio with her husband, horn player Alex Morton, and pianist Liam Wooding. In 2019, the trio toured the UK with Pettman/ROSL Arts, later performing several times across Aotearoa with Chamber Music New Zealand, and released their debut album (2024, Atoll Records) featuring Arna’s original composition ‘Summer’ alongside Brahms’ Horn Trio Op. 40 and her own arrangement of his Piano Trio Op. 8 for horn trio. Arna has appeared as a Guest Artist with the New Zealand String Quartet and performs on a 1900 Joseph Hel violin, generously on loan from the CSO Foundation. Though deeply rooted in classical music, she thrives equally in commercial settings, regularly switching over to her electric Spur violin for luxury weddings, corporate events, and cabaret shows.

Dominic Lee is a New Zealand cellist acclaimed for his expressive virtuosity, deep musical insight, and magnetic stage presence. Beginning his solo career at just 13, Dominic has since performed at world renowned venues including his Carnegie Hall debut and appeared at leading festivals across four continents, such as South Korea’s Pyeong Chang Music Festival. He holds a Master of Music and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Steven Doane and Rosemary Elliot, and later pursued postgraduate studies with Ralph Kirshbaum at the University of Southern California. Dominic’s artistry has been recognised through numerous international accolades, including the silver medal at the Anton Rubinstein International Cello Competition, First Prize and Monterosa Kawai Prize at the Valsesia International Music Competition, and top awards at the Padova and MTNA Young Artist Competitions. As a passionate chamber musician, he has collaborated with esteemed ensembles such as the Borromeo String Quartet and Andrés Cárdenes, and toured the United States with the Heifetz Institute. Now returning to Aotearoa, Dominic continues to shape the cultural landscape through bold, relevant programming and his work on Advisory in Community Development for Auckland Council, striving always to use his life, as well as his cello, as an instrument for connection and transformation.

New Colombo Plan scholar and winner of the Junior Category of the Queensland International Chamber Music Competition, Eden Annesley is a violinist based in Wellington. She obtained her Bachelor of Music with First-Class Honours at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, with Associate Professor Michele Walsh, graduating with the University medal. She has performed alongside musicians of the Australian World Orchestra, Ensemble Q, and the Australian Youth Orchestra, and this year, will be playing with the NZSQ Fellowship Ensemble, the Antipodes Quartet, in a national tour sponsored by CMNZ. Eden spent a year in Japan sponsored by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade investigating the violin music of Tōru Takemitsu, interning with traditional Japanese shakuhachi master Akikazu Nakamura, leading her to co-found Duo Aki, a violin-saxophone contemporary-classical ensemble. In 2025 they were selected to represent their country at the Australia Pavilion Osaka World Expo. Eden is also passionate about cultural leadership, using music and language to facilitate dialogue and connection between communities, forged during her time living in Japan.

Amalia is one of Aotearoa's finest violinists and is kept incredibly busy performing with NZTrio and leading orchestras all around the world. She's joining us for the weekend fresh off performing Bartok's 2nd Violin Concerto with the NZSO, so we're incredibly lucky and excited that she's able to share her expertise with our young musicians.

Cellist Callum Hall embraces a diverse range of music, with his performances bridging the worlds of classical and contemporary, chamber music and symphonic repertoire, as well as inspiring young musicians as a sought after pedagogue. Callum has played as Guest Principal Cello with major orchestras in New Zealand including Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Chamber Orchestra and Opus Chamber Orchestra, alongside being a frequent performer with the Auckland Philharmonia. A passionate chamber musician, Callum has recorded for Atoll Records, toured with the International Chamber Soloists and toured nationwide for Chamber Music New Zealand. He has also performed as a guest cellist with the Jade String Quartet, and his performances have been broadcast on Radio New Zealand Concert. Festival appearances include the Upsurge Festival, the Asian Composers League Festival, the Auckland String Quartet Summer School, and the Waiheke Chamber Music Festival. Upcoming engagements in 2025 include performing as a guest cellist with leading New Zealand chamber groups NZTrio and the New Zealand String Quartet, in Aotearoa and Australia. Callum received his Doctorate of Musical Arts from Michigan State University, where he was a teaching assistant to Suren Bagratuni. Prior to his studies in the USA he completed his Masters degree at the University of Waikato, studying with James Tennant. Callum has a vibrant teaching studio and is deeply committed to building the next generation of musicians, especially as a tutor at festivals such as the Auckland String Quartet Summer School and Rimufest.

Anna grew up in Paeroa and pursued violin studies in Wellington and Detmold, Germany. She is now a first violinist for New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. As a student, Anna was the Wellington Youth Orchestra Concertmaster and Principal Second Violin of the NZSO National Youth Orchestra. After five years in Germany, she returned to New Zealand and co-founded the Tasman String Quartet. The quartet ventured to Boulder, Colorado, for two years to study under the renowned Takacs Quartet. Along the way, they picked up prizes in chamber music competitions in Florida, Missouri and Melbourne and performed on tours for Chamber Music New Zealand. They also participated in numerous festivals and masterclasses from Banff to Hamburg. Throughout her travels, Anna has worked with musicians such as Eberhard Feltz, Sylvia Rosenberg, Andras Schiff, Donald Weilerstein, Miriam Fried, Nobuko Imai, and members of the New Zealand, Pacifica, Guarneri, St. Lawrence, Emerson, Michelangelo, Juilliard, Schoenberg, and Cleveland String Quartets. Before joining the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Anna played with the North German Radio Orchestra and the Århus Symphony Orchestra in Denmark. She has been awarded several prizes and scholarships, including a DAAD scholarship from the German Government and performed concertos by Mendelssohn, Vivaldi, Sibelius, Bach and Mozart. Alongside her work with the NZSO, Anna collaborates with her husband, violist Christiaan van der Zee, to run Karori Classics - a series of monthly chamber music concerts supporting local charities within their community.

New Zealand-born cellist Matthias Balzat (1999) has gained recognition as an international soloist and chamber musician. He has won prestigious competitions, including the Accordi Musicali International Cello Competition, 69th ROSL Annual Music Competition, Sieghardt-Rometsch Concerto Competition, and New Zealand National Concerto Competition (2014, 2017), among many others. He has performed with leading orchestras such as the NZSO, CSO, Sinfonietta Köln, and Neue Philharmonie Westfalen, and collaborated with many conductors including Guy Noble, Benjamin Northey, Hamish McKeich and Rüdiger Bohn. Balzat has appeared at major festivals like Aspen Music Festival, Classiche Forme, and Edinburgh Fringe. He has worked with renowned musicians, including Daniel Müller-Schott, Johannes Moser, and Wolfgang Schmidt. He has recently completed the prestigious Konzertexamen at Robert Schumann Hochschule under Pieter Wispelwey, where he also holds a Master’s degree. He completed his Bachelor degree with Honours at Waikato University, which he began at the age of 14 under James Tennant.

Andrew is Section Principal Cello for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Before joining the NZSO in September 2010, Andrew spent five years freelancing in London. Andrew regularly worked with the London Symphony and London Philharmonic Orchestras, touring and performing in some of the world's most renowned concert halls. He also played as Guest Principal with Northern Sinfonia, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. A dedicated chamber musician, Andrew co-founded the Puertas Quartet. They have performed in the UK and New Zealand to great acclaim and released two CDs on Atoll Records. He also performs regularly in a trio alongside pianist Diedre Irons and NZSO Concertmaster Vesa-Matti Leppanen. Born in Norwich, England, Andrew began his musical studies in London at the Purcell School of Music, under the guidance of Amanda Truelove and Michal Kaznowski. He furthered his education at the Royal College of Music with Alexander Boyarsky and the Musikhochschule Lübeck with Troels Svane, thanks to a coveted DAAD Scholarship. He has performed in masterclasses with the late Bernard Greenhouse, Alexander Baillie, David Geringas, Alexander Rudin, Natalia Gutman, Karine Georgian, Leonid Gorokhov, the Takacs Quartet and the Kopelman Quartet. Violinist and Artistic Director of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Gordan Nikolitch, has played a vital role in his artistic development and continues to be a source of inspiration. Andrew plays a beautiful old English cello by Thomas Dodd, circa 1800, generously loaned by Old and New Strings Ltd.

Robert Ibell was born in Dannevirke and brought up in Palmerston North. While training there as a school teacher he learned cello from Judith Hyatt in Wellington. Between 1986 and 1992 Robert lived in London, studying cello with Tanya Prochazka, Derek Simpson and Christopher Bunting. He played at music schools and in masterclasses (where his teachers included Alexander Baillie, Steve Doane, Anner Bylsma and Steven Isserlis), taught, gave recitals and played in professional and amateur orchestras. From 1993 to 2019 Robert was a member of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. He is now a cello and double bass teacher, chamber music coach, adjudicator and freelance performer. Robert is a member of the Aroha String Quartet, the Thomson/Ibell piano/cello duo, the Papaioea Piano Trio, flute/cello/harp trio Aurum, square piano/cello duo Hammers & Horsehair, and indie/folk/rock band Milkthistle.

Monique Lapins was the former Second violinist of the New Zealand String Quartet and Lecturer at New Zealand School of Music - Te Kōkī, Victoria University of Wellington. She is a member of the Ghost Piano Trio who will tour with CMNZ this year, and performs regularly with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and Orchestra Wellington. She has been a finalist twice in the Asia Pacific Chamber Music Competition and has performed in festivals throughout France, the Czech Republic, Holland, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and at the Open Chamber Music Seminars in Prussia Cove directed by world-renowned cellist, Steven Isserlis. Monique has toured extensively in collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra Collective, the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. Monique has performed with artists including Seiji Ozawa (conductor) in Japan, Philippe Herreweghe (conductor) in France, Jerusalem String Quartet in New Zealand (Adam Chamber Music Festival - ACMF), Dénes Várjon (pianist) in New Zealand (ACMF) and as a soloist with French violinist, Oliver Charlier in Japan. Monique Lapins is a recording artist with Naxos and Rattle Labels. In 2022, she celebrated with pianist Jian Liu, the release of Béla Bartók’s Sonatas for Violin and Piano for Rattle Records. In 2024, her recording as a member of the New Zealand String Quartet won Best Classical Artist at the Aotearoa Music Awards for the album Notes From a Journey II with Atoll Records. Monique performs on a 1883 Gand violin kindly on loan from the Rin Collection in Singapore

Originally from Wellington, Malavika completed her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Auckland with Mary O’Brien. In 2005, Malavika was awarded the prestigious Patricia Pratt Scholarship, which enabled her to study at the New England Conservatory in Boston with renowned instructors Miriam Fried and Masuko Ushioda. During her studies, she was loaned a beautiful French Vuillaume violin for a year. She was a founding member of the Excelsa Quartet, and they were invited to Europe to study with the world-renowned Alban Berg Quartet. In 2012, after several successes with the quartet in competitions throughout Europe, Malavika left the group and joined the famed Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, Germany. As a result of her numerous national and international competition successes, Malavika has appeared as a soloist with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Auckland Philharmonia, University Orchestra, Wellington Youth Orchestra, and New England Conservatory Chamber Orchestra. She has also participated in various festivals, such as Sangat, Prussia Cove, and Schleswig Holstein, and has had the great privilege of collaborating with some of the world's leading conductors, soloists, and teachers. She now holds the position of First Violin with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Winner of the TVNZ Young Musicians Competition and the National Concerto Competition of New Zealand, James has performed as soloist with almost all of New Zealands leading orchestras. During his time in living in Berlin he performed regularly with many of Europe’s leading baroque orchestras including Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Concerto Köln and as principal cello of Al Ayre Español. James has also collaborated over many years with renowned dance company Sasha Waltz and Guests, performing from the Bach cello suites in 50 performances worldwide of the work Gezeiten. He has performed on recordings that have been released by SONY, Harmonia Mundi, Winter & Winter and Challenge Classics. Since returning to New Zealand, James has performed on numerous occasions with the Australian Romantic and Classical Orchestra, the Australian Haydn Ensemble and regularly as a guest with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

Māori/ Japanese violinist, Mana Waiariki (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) completed her Bachelor of Music at Te Kōki New Zealand School of Music with Helene Pohl at the end of 2023. Mana was generously supported by the Deane Endowment Trust throughout her undergraduate studies and they will continue to support her as she pursues her postgraduate studies specialising in Chamber Music with Peter Clark in 2025. She has also been awarded the Wellington Totoweka Scholarship (2021), Barbara Finlayson Scholarship (2021), and the VUW Ensemble Music Performance Award (2023). In 2024, Mana worked as a freelance musician as well as working full time at the NZSQ Trust office as a Toi Māori Aotearoa, Māori Arts Intern. She was involved in delivering national and international tours of the NZSQ and organising a new concert series called The Racket Lounge. She was on trial for a core first violin position with Orchestra Wellington and was a guest soloist and concertmaster for the Marlborough Civic Orchestra. Over the years, Mana has played with the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra, Hawke's Bay Orchestra, Nelson Symphony Orchestra, and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. A versatile chamber musician, Mana has played in performing art festivals across Aotearoa such as the Adam Summer School, Fringe Festival, Classical on Cuba, and Cuba Dupa. In 2021, Mana and fellow AQ musician, Tal Amoore, self presented concerts in Auckland and Wellington with Steinway Artist, Jason Bae, and the Eden Quartet. Mana has also had the opportunity to play with the New Zealand String Quartet in 2025. Mana teaches violin at Arohanui Strings, a Sistema- inspired music programme that provides free music lessons to children. She has also done many community engagement concerts across Aotearoa through the Martinborough Music Festival and the NZSO. In 2023, Mana was chosen to collaborate with Wellington based composer, Michael Norris, to play on a fixed electric backing track for his piece 'Waipounamu' which was commissioned by the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Mana has received masterclasses from internationally acclaimed musicians including: Hilary Hahn, Sergey Malov, Benjamin Baker, Sophie Rowell, Wilma Smith, and Vesa-Matti Leppänen. Mana plays a violin on loan to her through the Hill Family Foundation’s Instrument Bank by Karla Mitchell.