The Talent returns to 3MBS this week with performances from violinist Ellie Malonzo and pianist Abby Zhao. Ellie and Abby will perform works by Wieniawski, Chopin, and Linda Kouvaras before receiving advice from our mentors. Continue reading to learn more about Ellie and Abby.
Ellie Malonzo
Violin
15-year-old violinist and composer Ellie Malonzo began violin at age five and studies under Winthrop Professor Paul Wright. At 12, she made her solo debut performing a violin concerto she was commissioned to write for the Fremantle Chamber Orchestra, and at 13, was accepted into the Yehudi Menuhin School. She has now performed as a soloist with the Wiener Stadtorchester (Vienna), the Mosman Symphony Orchestra (Sydney), the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, MetSO Chamber Orchestra, Vienna Pops Orchestra, and the Fremantle Chamber Orchestra. She will debut with the South Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in Melbourne in 2025. Ellie has won first prize in sixteen international violin and composition competitions and placed in nine more over the last two years and at 14 was accepted to begin her Bachelor of Music full-time as an early entry student in 2025 at the University of Western Australia. Also a composer, she has written five concerti, two fugues and several shorter works, which have been performed around Australia and aired on ABC Classic.
Ellie will perform:
- H.Wieniawski: Violin Concerto no.2, mvts.2 & 3
With associate artist Aidan Boase
Abby Zhao
Piano
Abby Zhao, born in 2009, is a dedicated classical musician with an unwavering passion for the art form. Her musical journey began at the age of 6 in Melbourne. Since then, she has embarked on a remarkable odyssey, marked by resilience and a profound love for music. Abby’s prowess in piano competitions is a testament to her extraordinary talent and unwavering commitment. From being a semi-finalist in the 23rd Japan Piara Piano Competition to clinching top honours in the St. Petersburg International Piano Competition in 2020. In 2023, under the mentorship of esteemed pianist Coady Green (with whom she studies at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School), Abby won the Australian final of the Pearl River Kaysersburg International Piano Competition, performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York and earned her LMusA with High Distinction in 2024. Abby has consistently demonstrated her ability to excel on the global stage. Her dedication and talent position her as a promising concert pianist.
Abby will perform:
- F.Chopin: Ballade no.1 in G minor, Op.23
L.Kouvaras: Three St Kilda Sketches, no.3 ‘Animato’