Catherine Kwak

Cello 

Born in South Korea and raised in New Zealand, Catherine Kwak is a committed cellist and final year medical student. Her love of music from an early age led to cello lessons at the age of 7, and she gained ABRSM Grade 8 with the High Achievers’ Cup at the age of 9. She was accepted into the Pettman National Junior Academy of Music, and then at the age of 12, became a part time student at the University of Canterbury under Edith Salzmann. At the age of 18, Catherine went on to complete her Bachelor of Music at the University of Waikato as a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar, with James Tennant.

Over her musical career, she has made numerous performances around NZ, USA, the UK, and Europe as soloist and chamber musician. Her main competition successes include 1st Prize in the 2020/21 New Zealand 54th National Concerto Competition, prizewinner at the 18th International Brahms Competition (Austria), 2nd Prize 2013 National Young performer Competition, semifinalist 2015 Johansen International Competition for Young Musicians (Washington DC), winner ROSL/Pettman Chamber Music Scholarship, and 2nd Prize 2013 and 2020 Gisborne International Music Competition.

She has performed as an artist in the Euro Arts Festival (Germany), International Summer Academy Biel (Switzerland) where she was chosen by Prof. Wen-Sinn Yang to perform as a soloist with the Budweis Philharmonic, solo recitals organised by the Abegg Trio in Köln and Weimar, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, St-Martin-in-the-Fields, Princess Alexandra Hall, St James Piccadilly and more. She has featured on Radio NZ Concert as well as BBC Norfolk (England). Catherine has attended masterclasses with world renowned artists and tutors such as Maria Kliegel, Wen-Sinn Yang, Gautier Capucon, Daniel Muller-Schott, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Charles Castleman, professors at the Royal College and Academy of Music (London), Berlin University of the Arts and University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar. Her music studies and travel have been generously funded by scholarships from many individuals and institutions, mainly the Dame Malvina Major Foundation, University of Waikato, Adam Foundation, and the Pettman National Junior Academy of Music.

Catherine became a casual member of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in 2017 without audition. She has also appeared as soloist with the APO several times, with the most recent one being soloist in 2019 for the BBC Planet Earth in Concert Series, performing to sold out nights at the Civic Theatre.

Catherine maintains a busy performance schedule with upcoming soloist engagements in 2021/22 including the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Doctors’ Orchestra, Nelson Symphony Orchestra and Devonport Chamber Orchestra.