Bach’s Goldberg Variations For String Trio: Fundraising Concert To Help Jack Study Cello In London

An accomplished string trio will perform Bach’s Goldberg Variations in Wellington at the end of May in a one-off performance.

NZ String Quartet violinist Monique Lapins will join NZSO associate principal viola Alexander McFarlane and cellist Jack Moyer for the 80-minute performance of a piece usually played on piano, in an arrangement for string trio.

The fundraiser is being held to support the trio’s cellist, who has been given an incredible opportunity for a New Zealander – to study at one of the world’s top music schools, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. The twenty-year-old has been accepted into the Guildhall’s four-year Honours Bachelor of Music Performance programme, starting later this year with head of strings Louise Hopkins.

“As an international student living in London, the tuition fees are not cheap on top of travelling with a cello and accommodation, so I’ll need financial help to study there,” Jack says.

Though still young, Jack has been playing at the top level for some time, including with top chamber music ensembles and orchestras.

A trip to Europe last year, as a result of being awarded the 2023 Royal Overseas League Pettman Scholarship, enabled him to play on stage with critically acclaimed professionals Ben Baker and Daniel Lebhardt. He also had lessons with cellists in London, all of which inspired him to choose a musical career.

“I could not see myself doing anything else with my life,” says Jack, adding he knows Guildhall will “enable me to reach my full potential as a musician”.

He is fundraising furiously now, “to raise money to help me get to London”. Alongside applying for grants, he is working part-time, playing in concerts and busking.

“Every little will help,” he says.

You can follow his journey on Facebook (Jack Moyer) or join his supporters mailing list by emailing jackmoyercello@gmail.com.

Tickets for the ‘Bach’s Goldberg Variations for String Trio’ concert at 2.30pm on Sunday 26 May 2024 at St Andrew’s on the Terrace, Wellington, are available via Eventfinda at a cost of $25 (adult) and $10 (concession) https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2024/bach-goldberg-variations-for-string-trio/wellington.

A Givealittle page has also been set up so Kiwis can donate directly to help Jack to study cello in London at https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/get-jack-to-guildhall.

BIOGRAPHY

Jack Moyer was born in Wellington, New Zealand in 2003, attending Wadestown and Otari prImary schools, before transferring to Johnsonville’s Onslow College.

The cello has been his passion since the age of seven, when he heard his friend playing it. From that point, he was hooked.

Though still young, Jack has been playing at the top level for some time. As a passionate chamber musician, he was winner of the 2020 NZCT Chamber Music Competition with string-quartet ‘Ravelation’ and has toured with Donald Armstrong and the Amici Ensemble for Chamber Music NZ. He has also freelanced, working both with the NZ Symphony Orchestra and Auckland Philharmonia.

He took a year out after school to decide what his future direction would be.

After attending the ‘At World’s Edge Festival’ in Central Otago as an emerging artist in 2021 and 2022, Jack was one of the inaugural recipients of the Royal Overseas League Pettman Scholarship in 2023. This allowed him to travel to Europe, where he was based in London and played with the critically-acclaimed professionals Ben Baker and Daniel Lebhart, among others, in London and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and North York Moors chamber music festival.

Included in the scholarship were lessons with cellists in London.

“I learnt so much about discipline as a musician and it felt so incredible being immersed in an environment with that much music. I could not see myself doing anything else with my life,” says Jack.

The teacher that stood out and really made him think about this was Guildhall head of strings Louise Hopkins.

“Immediately I knew she was the teacher for me and that Guildhall will enable me to reach my full potential as a musician,” he says.

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