Amitai Pati – Tenor

In recent months Samoan tenor Amitai Pati has made his European debut as Nadir in a concert performance of Bizet’s Les pêcheurs de perles presented by Les Grandes Voix at the Philharmonie in Paris. French critics said of his performance, “Amitai Pati performs a moving Nadir, endowed with a superb tenor voice, ideal in the role” (Toute la culture). In addition Amitai made his Canadian debut this past season appearing as the tenor soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with the National Arts Centre Orchestra under Alexander Shelley. He makes his role and company debut upcoming as Jupiter/Apollo in Handel’s Semele with New Zealand Opera in a production which will exploit the ecclesiastical architecture of both North and South Islands. Elsewhere, Amitai will join the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, CAL Performances in Berkeley California, the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra in Norway and Hawaii Opera Theatre. Amitai, with his brother Pene Pati and their cousin Moses Mackay, comprise the highly successful New Zealand vocal trio SOL3 MIO, which mixes both classical and contemporary music.

 Somi Kim – pianist

South Korean born New Zealand pianist, Somi Kim has established herself as one of today’s most highly regarded young pianists with a string of competition successes and an extensive concert experience.  An Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, Somi graduated with an Advanced Diploma in Performance with DipRAM, receiving the HRH Princess Alice the Duchess of Gloucester’s Prize. Somi is a winner of the Gerald Moore Award for Accompanists and the Royal Over-Seas League Accompanist Prize.

Sought after as a chamber musician, song accompanist and répétiteur, Somi is a Samling Artist and a Yeoman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. Somi is an official pianist for the International Holland Music Sessions, International Vocal Competition ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Gisborne International Music Competition and the New Zealand Opera School. She has recently been appointed as the pianist for the NZTrio, recognised as a ‘national treasure’ and as ‘New Zealand’s most indispensable ensemble’.

In recital, Somi’s recent and future appearances include Het Concertgebouw, Slovak Philharmonic, Wigmore Hall, St. John’s Smith Square, Cadogan Hall, Bridgewater Hall and the Edinburgh Fringe and Oxford Lieder Festivals.