Moonstone

Robert ASHWORTH (viola)

Emigrating to New Zealand in 2003, Robert is Principal Viola for the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. He studied with Thomas Riebl and Veronika Hagen at the Universitaet Mozarteum in Salzburg and with Gerald Stanick at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He has been guest-principal viola for the Sydney Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Australian World Orchestra, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestras, as well as assistant-principal for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. He is the violist for the Jade String Quartet in Auckland, an active touring ensemble dedicated to championing New Zealand music alongside the great works of the traditional repertoire.

Robert frequently performs as a soloist with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, the Auckland Chamber Orchestra, and St. Matthew's Chamber Orchestra. He is a twice-recipient of the Canada Council for the Arts Award for Emerging Artists and has performed with various groups at international chamber music festivals in Europe, North America, and Japan. He has made a deep connection with the diverse and vibrant musical culture in Aotearoa and performs with an enthusiasm that comes in part from his Commonwealth heritage. Robert plays a 1995 John Newton "cut-away" viola.

Sarah WATKINS (piano)

Sarah is a graduate of the University of Canterbury (NZ) and Juilliard School in New York City, where she earned both Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in collaborative piano. Her lifelong love for accompanying and chamber music has led to an impressive career as a performer and recording artist. She is perhaps best known to New Zealand audiences as a founding member of NZTrio, one of this country’s most dynamic and indispensable music ensembles. After 16 years, Sarah left the group in June 2018 to actively pursue other musical and mentoring opportunities.

In addition to NZTrio, she has been an official pianist for the Michael Hill International Violin Competition since its inception in 2001 and the Gisborne International Music Competition since 2008, and has performed as a freelance player in the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, and the Auckland Chamber Orchestra. Sarah has also appeared as a soloist with St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra, ACO, and APO. Her numerous CD recordings with NZTrio and other artists have been widely praised by audiences and critics alike, notably Sway (NZTrio, 2017) and Gung-ho (2009, with NZSO principal trombonist David Bremner), which both won the Classical Album Award winners at the NZ Music Awards.