Auckland Shining Talent Concert

The Shining Talent Concert Series presented by the University of Waikato Foundation is a celebration of young Colombian cellist Santiago Canon Valencia, a 13 year-old prodigy from Bogota, who first visited New Zealand in 2007 where he wowed audiences in Hamilton and Auckland with his musicality and amazing virtuosity.

For any musician, let alone one his age, Santiago has achieved great success on the concert platform. He made his debut performing the Vivaldi Concerto in A Major with the Bogotá Philharmonica Orquesta when he was just six. He performed the Haydn D Major concerto as a nine year old, and in February of 2008, as a 12 year old, became one of the youngest cellists ever to perform the D’vořák Concerto.

Santiago will be performing Top New Zealand pianist, Katherine Austin, who performs regularly as a concerto soloist, chamber musician, and solo recitalist, and who teaches at the University of Waikato.

Santiago, known as the “Harry Potter of the Cello”, is an exceptional young musician who’s been described as having a “rare gift that cannot be taught. When he goes on stage, something extra comes out and you go ‘wow’. He knows every nuance, colour and expression that’s in the music and can communicate it to the audience.” At his Hamilton concert last Thursday, Santiago received four calls for an encore and left the audience “spellbound”. Santiago also received a standing ovation at his Christchurch concert and was recently featured nationally on TVNZ’s Good Morning show; leaving no doubt about his exceptional shining talent.

The ticket price includes light refreshments, after the concert. For all ticket bookings please visit www.waikato.ac.nz/alumni

Event listed by Chris Armstrong

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