International soloist Tianyou Ma returns to Adelaide for two big performances: Fireworks: Tianyou Ma and Simón Pazos Quintana in Recital, followed by Fame & Fate with Adelaide Youth Orchestra on 14 September.

Violinist Tianyou Ma has an impressive resume, with prizes in some of the world’s top competitions including the Menuhin International Violin Competition (where he was awarded the Bach Prize), the Sendai International Music Competition, and the Postacchini Competition - to name just a few.

As a soloist, he has performed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, Webern Kammerphilharmonie, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, London Doctors’ Orchestra - and now he’s back to take the stage in Adelaide once again.

Hear Tianyou and Simón performing works by Bach, Mozart, Bartók and Waxman in the stunning acoustic of University of Adelaide's Elder Hall.

Don't miss this one-time opportunity to hear these rising stars in recital!

Tianyou Ma, violin

Tianyou Ma was a single study student at the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide, Australia where he was awarded a full scholarship to study with Keith Crellin from 2010-2013. Soon after, Tianyou was awarded a full scholarship at the Yehudi Menuhin School in the UK and studied violin with Diana Galvydyte. He was also awarded a full scholarship covering all his living fees from the Music and Dance Scheme in the UK from 2016 – 2019.

Tianyou started his undergraduate study with a full scholarship at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia from 2019-2023, studying with Pamela Frank and Shmuel Ashkenasi. In 2023, he was selected by the Curtis President, Deans and faculty to be given a commencement speech, followed by winning the Curtis 2023 Milka Violin Artist Prize. Tianyou is now pursuing his master's degree with Catherine Cho at the Juilliard School with full scholarship on both education and living.

Tianyou has been a top prize winner in numerous prestigious international competitions, including the Barbash Bach Competition, the Singapore International Violin Competition (also the recipient of the Bach Prize), Sendai International Music Competition, The Menuhin International Violin Competition (also the recipient of the Bach Prize) and the Postacchini Competition.

Tianyou has performed as a soloist with orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, Webern Kammerphilharmonie, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, London Doctors’ Orchestra, Adelaide Youth Orchestra, and Yehudi Menuhin School Orchestra. He has performed as a soloist and a chamber musician in many countries in Europe, Asia, the USA, and Oceania. He has spent his summers studying at the Verbier Festival Academy, Gstaad Festival and International Summer Academy (Internationale Sommerakademie der mdw).

Simón Pazos Quintana, piano

Simón Pazos Quintana is a Spanish-born, Adelaide-based classical pianist, accompanist and teacher. He obtained his Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours at the Elder Conservatorium
of Music in Adelaide, under the tutelage of Professor Stefan Ammer.

In 2018, he made his concerto debut with Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto and the Elder Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of maestro James Lowe. Later that year, he was awarded the Peter Schodde Memorial Piano Scholarship, with which he travelled throughout Germany, Austria and England, playing for highly respected professors and performers
to further his technical abilities and musicianship.

Upon his return to Adelaide, Simón was a finalist in the 2019, 2021 and 2023 Geoffrey Parsons Awards for piano accompaniment. He accompanies classes, recitals and exams in the Elder Conservatorium, where he is also a piano teacher as part of the Open Music Academy. He is a sought-after accompanist and regularly features in the Recitals Australia lunchtime recitals.

As a solo recital pianist, Simón recently performed in the 2024 PianoLab festival in June, where he presented two major works by composer Aleksandr Mosolov. Furthermore, earlier this year and under the supervision of pianist Konstantin Shamray, Simón also completed his performance-based PhD, centred around recordings of the full works for solo piano by Mosolov. The doctorate was awarded with a Dean’s Commendation.