The Talent Episode 5: cellist Ankia Huang and pianist Ian Zhou

Anika is a Year 7 student, who began her journey with the cello at the age of six and is currently under the guidance of Diana Wuli. She achieved the AMEB Associate Diploma in 2023.

Anika's love for music began at a young age, influenced by her sister, who played the violin. She has played multiple instruments throughout the years, including violin, viola, clarinet, and piano.
She has done multiple eisteddfods in the past few years, winning first place in the Boroondara Under 9 String section in 2021 and third place in the MSV Under 12 String section in 2023. She is deeply involved in her school's music program, actively participating in the string quartet, and as the principal cello of both the String and Symphony Orchestras. From this year, Anika joined the Melbourne String Ensemble and has participated in its recent Chamber Concert.

Anika will perform:

• Haydn: Cello Concerto in C
• Paganini: Variations on a Theme from Rossini's "Moses"

With associate artist Scott Zheng

Ian Zhou is a Year 8 student from Eltham High School. He began his piano journey at the age of four. For the past three years, he has been honing his skills under the guidance of Tamara Smolyar. Ian's musicality and dedication have earned him multiple awards at the Boroondara, Ringwood, and Monash Youth Festivals, as well as the MSV competitions. Last year, he passed the AMEB Certificate of Performance with High Distinction and is now preparing for his AMus exam. He was in finals for Boroodara Eisteddfod Concerto competition and will play Rachmaninoff Concerto 2 with Camerata Orchestra in September. Ian's passion for piano is evident in his expressive performances, and he aspires to continue developing his artistry and sharing his love of music with others.

Ian will perform:

• Beethoven: Piano Sonata no.8 in C minor, mvt. 1
• Glinka/Balakirev: The Lark
• Rachmaninoff: Étude-Tableau, no.6 "Little Red Riding Hood"