23. Thong Nguyen Tri Truong

Thong is a third year Bachelor of Commerce and Music student at Monash University. Prior to entering Monash, Thong studied with Wendy McLean on piano and with Jennifer Chou on pipe organ. At Monash, he has studied with Anthony Halliday and is currently under the tutelage of Dr Tomoe Kawabata.

Recent accomplishments include being awarded 1st prizes in both the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music’s Australian Classical Music Prize for the best performance of a set of Australian works, and the Concerto and Aria Competition, the latter giving him the opportunity to perform Saint Saen’s 2nd Piano Concerto with the Monash Academy Orchestra at Robert Blackwood Hall in August 2021. Further highlights include being awarded 1st place in both the Ringwood Eisteddfod Organ Open section and subsequent Instrumental Grand Final in 2018, and finalist in the 2019 Preston Youth Concerto competition where he made his concerto debut with the Preston Symphony Orchestra playing Ravel’s Concerto in G. In Masterclasses, Thong has played for renowned pianists including Paavali Jumppanen, Geoffrey Saba, Stefan Cassomenos, Max Cooke, Aura Go, Mikhail Solovei and ZOFO Piano duo.

Outside of performance, Thong teaches piano to over twenty students ranging from kids as young as 4 to experienced adults. He is an avid tennis fan; his favourite players being the great Venus Williams and Roger Federer, and loves being social and out in the sun. In his spare time, he likes to watch crime documentaries and anime, and play tennis and badminton with friends.