Palmerston North Girls' High School students year 12 Isabella Li, 15, year 13 Angela Fang, 17 and year 12 Haewon Kim, also 17, are a chamber music trip called Greek Yoghurt. They have been selected to play at Carnegie Hall in New York next year.
Palmerston North Girls' High School students year 12 Isabella Li, 15, year 13 Angela Fang, 17 and year 12 Haewon Kim, also 17, are a chamber music trip called Greek Yoghurt. They have been selected to play at Carnegie Hall in New York next year.
Three teenage musos will play at a prestigious international venue next year.
Palmerston North Girls’ High School students Haewon Kim, Angela Fang and Isabella Li have been selected to play at Carnegie Hall in New York in January.
Their band, Greek Yoghurt, will play in the American Virtuoso International Music Competition (AVIMC) winner’s recital, after placing third in this year’s competition.
Haewon, 17, who lives in Levin, said the invitation to play at Carnegie Hall isn’t just a win for herself and her bandmates, but for her hometown, as well.
She attended Fairfield School for eight years, graduating dux in 2020.
“I have fond memories of my time at that school and in Levin. I think what I’ve achieved shows Levin raises some talented people who do extraordinary things.”
The year-12 student said being selected to perform at the venue was “insane”.
“It’s the most iconic stage where music legends such as The Beatles and Frank Sinatra have played. It’s hard to think we will join the list of musicians who’ve played there.”
Palmerston North Girls' High School student Haewon Kim, 17, from Levin will play at Carnegie Hall, in Manhattan, New York next year.
This is the first time they’ll play internationally, but the three are no strangers to performing, regularly competing in local and national events. The band formed in 2022, entering the New Zealand Chamber Music Contest that year. Since then, the group has entered the contest each year, making it to regionals twice and nationals once.
While they didn’t make it to nationals in this year’s contest, the group looked for a new challenge, Haewon said.
“We decided to push ourselves and enter AVIMC.”
Their local and regional performances won them their spot in Carnegie Hall, she said, as they used videos from their performances at those competitions for their AVIMC entry. Both videos were of them playing Fourth Movement by Shostakovich piano trio number two.
Haewon said the trio was invited to attend the final round of AVIMC but couldn’t get there.
“We found out in early August we had made it through to the final, which took place in Washington, DC, 10 days later. There’s no way we could get everything organised that quickly so we had to submit a video for the final round. We’re definitely going this time. You don’t get asked every day to play at Carnegie Hall.”
Their selection was thanks to the tutorage of Robert Ibell, she said.
“He is a former NZ Symphony Orchestra cellist we meet with weekly for chamber rehearsals.”
Haewon plays the violin in Greek Yoghurt, with her love of music starting when she was 7 years old.
“My family is quite musical. My dad is a violinist, so he taught me the early stages before I started taking lessons. I attended lessons in Palmerston North and then Wellington for a while. For the past three years, I’ve been training under Elizabeth Pratchett.”
Greek Yoghurt pianist, Angela, 17, also attends lessons with Elizabeth Pratchett.
The year-13 student, who lives in Palmerston North, started playing at a young age.
“I’ve been playing for about 10 years now. I will admit, there was a time when I thought I would give it up but I persevered and kept with it. That’s the best decision I’ve made because it’s led to this. I’m so stoked about Carnegie Hall. At the start, I was surprised because I didn’t see it coming but now that the news has sunk in, I’m so excited.”
As well as playing at Carnegie Hall, Angela was looking forward to exploring New York.
“It’s going to be so amazing. We’re all excited to spend the start of the New Year over there. It’s going to be so much fun.”
Their group’s name was rather randomly chosen, she said
“We were sitting outside eating lunch debating a band name and one of us had Greek yoghurt in our lunchboxes. One of us suggested Greek yoghurt as a joke until we were like ‘Wait, that goes hard’.”
Cellist Isabella Li, 15, was proud of the band’s hard work.
“I’m just happy I get to travel and spend more time with my friends. Being able to play chamber music with them one more time before we separate is all I care about. Chamber music with Haewon and Angela has made many incredible and irreplaceable memories I will never forget. Without them, I would never have gotten to this level.”
Isabella, who lives in Palmerston North and is in year 12, started playing cello when she was 10.
“I thought it was unique and different from the generic option of violin. I stuck with it because I realised the potential I had, as well as the incredible range of opportunities that came with it. I don’t think I’ll ever stop playing cello.”
The band is fundraising for the trip, Haewon said.
“It will cost a lot for us to get over there, for airfare, transport and accommodation. In 2023, when we attended the NZ Chamber of Music Contest, we had to buy an extra seat for Isabella’s cello. We understand doing this isn’t viable so we’re working around that.”
She said they will have fundraising concerts and other events soon.
“Keep an eye out on Facebook. We’re so excited for this opportunity to play at Carnegie Hall and we hope the community will get behind us and help us get there.”
