For former Westlake Boys High School student Jacky Siu this is his second North Harbour Club AIMES Award. The cellist won an AIMES Emerging Talent Award in 2016.

In 1997, Jacky and his family immigrated to New Zealand in search of a more liberating lifestyle and education system. They settled down on the Shore and after 20 years have all developed a strong connection with the area. Jacky's first introduction to music came from the local music centre in Birkdale, where he began Saturday morning cello lessons. He has never looked back and is about to complete his second year of Masters in Orchestral Artistry at the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama  in London.
"My strong connection to the North Shore has been strengthened by the fond memories I have made here through performing,” explained Jacky in his AIMES Award application.
"I always felt like I owed something back to the community that brought me up so I proactively looked for ways to perform in public. These included performing at cultural events, music festivals, casual gigs and rest homes. These were all vital in building my confidence as a performer and at age 16 I was awarded a full scholarship to study at the University of Waikato under James Tennant. I am still actively performing when I am in the country, for example with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and New Zealand Symphony Orchestra – New Zealand’s top professional music organisations.”
Jacky has also been Associate Principal Cellist of the National Youth Orchestra, Principal Cellist of the Auckland Youth Orchestra, finalist of the University of Waikato Concerto Competition, winner of the University of Waikato Chamber Music Competition, Principal Cellist of the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra and recipient of two Performing Arts Blues Awards. He was also a founding member of the cello quartet ‘QUATTRO’ which won the Pettman/Royal Overseas League Chamber Music Scholarship in 2014. As part of the award, he completed a concert tour of the UK, playing in such venues as St Martin’s in the Fields. During the tour, Jacky received lessons from world renowned musicians such as Gregor Horsch, Enrico Bronzi and the Kuss Quartet.
As a soloist, he has played at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Lake District Summer School Festival. Other highlights include performing a four-concert tour of the Shostakovich Cello Concerto No.1 as the winner of the Auckland Youth Orchestra Soloist Competition.
Most recently, Jacky has been selected as an annual Fellow for both the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and New Zealand Symphony Orchestras. Through these programmes he has been receiving contract work with the best orchestras in the country and learning how to be a true professional at his craft.
In 2016 he was awarded a scholarship worth $20,000 to complete a specially designed Masters degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Based on his progress and grades, the scholarship was renewed for 2017-2018. The programme was designed with one of the top orchestras in the world – the London Symphony Orchestra. It aims to train young emerging artists for professional work upon completion of their studies and will be vital for Jacky to achieve his goals. These include playing in the top chamber and orchestral ensembles in Europe. Through the programme, Jacky has played in concerts alongside the London Symphony Orchestra in venues such as LSO St Lukes and the Barbican. Eventually he wants to find his way back home with these skills, to work for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and teach at a University.
"Receiving an AIMES Award has been a goal of mine since leaving New Zealand to pursue my studies in London,” said Jacky when he heard that he had won the AIMES Music Award for 2017. "I have seen many fellow musicians and friends who I look up to, receive an award from the North Harbour Club and Charitable Trust. To be a recipient of this award shows me that I am on the right path towards my long-term career goals, and ties all my achievements thus far in the form of this prestigious award.
"Musicians are shaped by their surroundings, and I have always been proud to have grown up in the North Harbour Region. I gained a lot of my musical inspiration and education here and to be recognised by a major organisation located in my home-town is extremely special."
Since applying for the award Jacky has had the great privilege to work with Sir Simon Rattle in a recent project with the London Symphony Orchestra/Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and selected younger students from East London. He was involved in the coaching of the younger kids. “Teaching is something I am extremely passionate about as I am aware of how powerful it can be. We did our final performance at the renowned Barbican Centre.”
Jacky was unable to attend the gala awards evening. His award was accepted by his parents on his behalf.

Jacky Siu reflects on receiving the 2017 North Harbour Club AIMES Music Award, sponsored by Yamaha Home Entertainment and a cash grant of $15,000:-

I remember feeling extremely excited when I received the official email from the North Harbour Club and my first reaction was to share this excitement with my parents and siblings.
I had been anticipating the result for a long time, particularly because I had first applied for this award in 2016, where I received an AIMES Emerging Talent Award. In a way, being a successful recipient of the 2017 AIMES Music Award had been two years in the making. As the excitement faded, my emotions shifted into a mix of happiness and satisfaction, as this award symbolises the many hours I have put into achieving success in music. As I mentioned in my speech, there are just as many low moments as there are high, when pursuing a creative art. Most aspiring musicians would back me up on this. The establishment of an award system which recognises and rewards ‘youth achieving excellence’ is therefore extremely important as it can often give us that extra push to turn our dreams into reality. Of course, you should never pursue anything with materialistic intentions. However, to have my achievements formally recognised is something special – especially by an organisation located in an area where I spent most of my life.
Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the AIMES Awards Gala Dinner as I had commitments in London. While I was disappointed to miss the ceremony, having my parents attend this event was very important to me as this was all a result of their hard work, support, and love. I know that seeing their son  recognised at a high-profile event filled them with pride and I hope that I can continue to make them proud in the future.

Who has had the biggest influence on your achievements to date and why?
There have been so many important influences in my life so to pick one would be impossible. The music teachers I had in New Zealand (Rosalind Dodd, Alison Jepson, Dr. Anita Gertseema, James Tennant) have all played a huge role in my development as they provided a foundation for my technique and musical ideas that will stay with me forever. My current teacher, Adrian Brendel, is an extremely important influence at the current stage of my studies. His passion and selflessness towards music is extremely inspiring and the vast knowledge he has always surprises me. He has thrown so many ideas at me in the past 18 months and this has unknowingly broadened my own depth of thought.
There are also various public figures who I gained a lot of inspiration from, particularly athletes; such as UFC fighter Conor McGregor and NBA legend Kobe Bryant. The work ethic and persistent drive both these athletes have displayed through their careers is admirable and there is something for everyone to learn in their unique and positive mindsets. Often, you don’t even realise how much influence a teacher or public figure can have on you until you really stop and think about it. This is perhaps reflected in how different all the people I have listed in this segment are.

What will 2018 bring for you?
I was recently accepted on to the prestigious String Experience Scheme with the London Symphony Orchestra – something which I mentioned auditioning for in my interview. This will allow me to work closely with one of the top orchestras in the world and perform in programmes with them during the coming year. This will be a huge step for my career as eventually, I would like to have a full-time position in a world-class orchestra. Aside from that, I will be completing my Masters of Music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama which will involve a large amount of performing in London. During the second half of the year, I will be looking at auditioning for orchestral jobs in Europe and further study in Germany.