Humanitarian and outreach concerts have also played an important role
in his musical output, and through such endeavours he was awarded a U.S.
Congressional Commendation in 2006.
Born in Vancouver in 1982, Andrew’s principal teachers were Lawrie Hill, Gwen
Thompson, Gerald Stanick, Ani Kavafian and Donald Weilerstein. He holds a BA
magna cum laude from Stony Brook University and an MM and GD from the New
England Conservatory of Music. He served as a performing and teaching fellow at
Carnegie Hall and the Juilliard School from 2007-2008, and from 2008-2013 held the
position of assistant principal 2nd violin with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.
Andrew has proudly been concertmaster of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra
since 2014, and has appeared as guest concertmaster with the Symphony
Orchestras of Melbourne, City of Birmingham and Vancouver. Andrew performs
on a J.B. Vuillaume violin from 1845, and a J.J. Martin bow from 1880.
Elizabeth Lau conductor
A graduate of the University of Auckland,
Elizabeth Lau’s background is diverse. She
holds a Master’s degree in conducting as
well as Bachelor degrees in composition and
performance including piano and double bass.
Elizabeth studied conducting with Professor
Uwe Grodd and Dr Karen Grylls and piano
accompaniment with Associate Professor Rae
de Lisle.
Elizabeth has participated in conducting workshops
and courses in the Czech Republic, England, New
Zealand and Switzerland with distinguished choral, orchestral conductors.
Residing in Auckland, Elizabeth is the founder and Music Director of Wairua
Sinfonietta - an orchestra which focuses on unity through music by putting on
good quality concerts with like-minded musicians to increase awareness and
raise funds for charitable organisations locally and around the globe.
She is currently the Deputy Music Director of Auckland Choral and has recently
made her debut with Bach Musica as Assistant Director and Guest Conductor
for two successful concerts. She has served as a Teacher Assistant in the study
of conducting at the University of Auckland.
She was Music Director of MAA - a Chinese community choir for 7 years; Artistic
Advisor for the Mozart Orchestra - an Auckland-based ensemble and Conductor
of the APPA Symphony Orchestra. She is a regular conductor and accompanist
for the New Zealand Suzuki Institute and was invited to conduct in the Suzuki
International Conference Orchestra in Melbourne, Australia.
A highlight in 2012 was her appointment as Assistant Conductor for the world
premiere of LEN LYE the opera with music by Dr Eve de Castro-Robinson,
a project under the auspices of the University of Auckland performing for a
season at the Maidment Theatre, Auckland.
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