Bartók, Works for Violin and Piano

Monique LAPINS (violin)

Monique commenced violin at an early age via the Suzuki method and pursued her studies in music at the Elder Conservatorium of Music (Adelaide University), the Australian National Academy of Music (Melbourne) and the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (Singapore). An active and renowned interpreter of contemporary music, she has collaborated with and premiered pieces by distinguished composers, including Martin Lodge (NZ), Gordon Kerry (AU), Ross Harris (NZ), Samson Young (HK), Simon Eastwood (NZ) and Jacob ter Veldhuis (NL). 

Monique has performed internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, appearing at major festivals throughout the world in collaboration with a wide range of leading international artists. In 2016, she joined the New Zealand String Quartet, an internationally acclaimed ensemble known for its programming vision, exciting performances, and award-winning recordings. A devoted educator and mentor, Monique teaches at the New Zealand School of Music (Te Kōkī, Victoria University) where NZSQ has a long-standing position as Quartet-in-Residence. 

Jian LIU (piano)

Jian studied with Professor Jin Zhang in China and Dr. Caio Pagano in the US. He completed his Master of Music, Doctor and Master of Musical Arts degrees from Yale School of Music, where he was a student and assistant of Professor Claude Frank.

An internationally celebrated concert pianist, Jian has performed as a featured soloist with some of the world’s leading orchestras and in collaboration with many world-class musicians. He has made numerous recordings, one of which, Debussy Sonatas and Piano Trio, was a Best Classical Album finalist at the 2017 NZ Music Awards. As a champion of contemporary music, Jian has premiered and recorded many works by New Zealand composers.

Jian is the founding pianist of Te Kōkī Trio, the resident trio at New Zealand School of Music. He is the Programme Director of Classical Performance and Head of Piano Studies at NZSM, where he enjoys a reputation as an outstanding pedagogue. He has given master classes and lectures at numerous international conservatories and served on the faculty of the Yale Department of Music.