Unanderra's Yang-Ming Goh believes music has changed her life and hopes to continue her passion throughout her life.
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The 19-year-old, who is studying electrical engineering at the University of Wollongong on a BlueScope cadetship, said music had boosted her academic results.
"These days, students want instant results, but with music you can't always see those results," Ms Goh said. "Learning an instrument teaches you to persevere.
"It helps with your study skills in teaching you to continually work towards a goal. It also builds great confidence and helps you to be open to new things."
Ms Goh played Chopin's Ballade No 3 at the Wollongong Conservatorium in the baroque piano open solo section of the Wollongong Eisteddfod.
"Learning music improves the way your mind functions and it's the only thing that uses all of your brain at once," she said.
Ms Goh, who grew up in Newcastle, has been learning the piano since she was seven.
"I used to think music could be my career. But I feel that through electrical engineering, I could have a massive influence on our future. Even though I'm passionate about music, I think I can make a bigger difference in other ways."
She hopes to eventually return to the music industry.
"I'd like to be able to connect my studies to music somehow," she said. "Education is so overwhelmed with technology that I want to make sure it doesn't go too far. I think I will have a better voice to be able to say that with an electrical engineering degree."
Ms Goh hopes to work in the fields of power generation and green energy.
She has been competing in eisteddfods since the age of 15. However, learning the piano has not always been plain sailing.
"I think every student should have someone willing to push you past that 'too much effort' point," she said. "Because once you seriously learn to appreciate music and learn to produce awesome sounds, it gives you a whole new perspective and appreciation of art and life."
Ms Goh finished third in NSW in Music 2 in the Higher School Certificate.
Wednesday June 3, 2015
Afternoon session
Duologue in costume 14 years and under
Wollongong High School O & P 1; Wollongong High School K & L and Wollongong High School M & N highly commended.
Improvisation minimum of 3, maximum of 6 open age
Wollongong High School Group 1 1st, Wollongong High School Group16 2nd, Wollongong High School Group17 3rd; and Wollongong High School groups19, 13 and 15 highly commended.
Junior speech & drama championship 10 to 12 years
Soraya McCann of Figtree 1; Mikayla Kotsofski of Balgownie 2 and Paige Jenkins of Figtree 3.
Evening session
Characterisation in costume solo open age
Noah Bailey of Balgownie 1.
Australian poem solo 13 & 14 years
Amy White of Towradgi 1; Christian Kairis of Towradgi 2; Melissa Kotsofski of Balgownie 3 and Arabella Atsas of Figtree and Chelsea O’Grady of Wollongong highly commended.
Australian poem solo 15 years and over
Charlea Schembri of Farmborough Heights 1; Teah Riolo of Unanderra 2; Lauren Ferri of Wollongong, Helena Konstandaras of Kanahooka and Freya Backen of Balgownie highly commended.
Verse speaking solo 13 & 14
Christina Chiaverini of Balgownie 1; Melissa Kotsofski of Balgownie 2; Amy White of Towradgi 3 and Arabella Atsas of Figtree highly commended.
Bible reading solo 13 years and over
Teah Riolo of Unanderra 1; Christian Kairis of Towradgi 2.
Thursday June 4, 2015
Morning session
Drama performance groups primary school age
Encore Performing Arts Studio of Figtree 1; St Paul’s Primary School of Moss Vale 2; Kiama Actors Studio B and Kiama Actors Studio A highlycommended.
Afternoon session
Drama performance groups secondary school age
Wollongong High School Group 13 1st; Wollongong High School Group 14 2nd; Wollongong High School Groups 17 and 5 and Kiama Actors Studio D and C highly commended.
Drama performance groups secondary school age
Wollongong High School Group 18 1st; Wollongong High School Group 15 2nd and Wollongong High School Group 12 and Kiama Actors Studio B highly commended.
Evening session
Shakespearean recital in costume solo open age
Wollongong High School B 1; Keely Honner of Kembla Grange 2; Wollongong High School F 3 and Teah Riolo of Unanderra highly commended.
Intermediate speech and drama championship solo 13 and 14 years only
Hayley Bannerman of Fairy Meadow 1; Christian Kairis of Towradgi 2; Christina Chiaverini of Balgownie 3 and Arabella Atsas of West Wollongong highly commended.
Bluescope Win senior speech and drama championship solo 15 years and over
Lauren Ferri of Wollongong 1; Helena Konstandaras of Kanahooka2.
Friday June 5, 2015
Afternoon session
Piano solo 13 years and under
Sarah Bradley of North Wollongong 1; Lachlan Le of South Hurstville 2; Michelle Stafurik of Eagle Vale 3.
Piano solo 14 years and under
Kelly Chu of Hillsdale 1; Emmy Cheung of Hillsdale 2; Georgia De Battista of Mangerton 3 and Sarah Bradley of North Wollongong and Lachlan Le of South Hurstville highly commended.
Piano solo 11 years and under
Jayden Lay of West Hoxton 1; Emily Read of Mangerton 2; Yi Fei Shi of Wollongong 3 and Hazuki Horimoto of Eastwood highly commended.
Classical piano sonata 1st or 3rd movement solo 16 years & under
Felicity Carolan of Gwynneville 1.
Evening session
Piano solo 16 years and under
Kelly Chu of Hillsdale 1.
Intermediate piano championship solo 16 years and under
Lachlan Le of South Hurstville 1; Rachel Grant of Keiraville 2.
Restricted piano solo 13 and 14 years only
Anish Abey of Mount Pleasant 1; Kimia Rahmannia of Cordeaux Heights 2; Kazune Horimoto of Eastwood 3.
Baroque piano solo 16 years and under
Lachlan Le of South Hurstville 1; Emmy Cheung of Hillsdale 2.
Saturday June 6, 2015
Morning session
Australian composition piano solo open age
Alex Zhang of Riverwood 1; Halina Leung of Wolli Creek 2; Ann Nguyen of Melbourne 3 and Timothy Liu of Brighton East and Yang-Ming Goh of Unanderra highly commended.
Romantic composition piano solo open age
Aaron Liu of Forest Lake 1; Alex Zhang of Riverwood 2; Rio Xiang of Northmead 3.
Piano Duet 14 years and under
Cedar-Rose Newman & Lina Lee of Wombarra 1; Hazuki Horimoto & Kazune Horimoto of Eastwood 2.
Afternoon session
Beethoven sonata piano solo open
Ann Nguyen of Melbourne 1; William Cesta of Merewether 2; Timothy Liu of Brighton East 3.
Century piano solo (min grade 8 standard) open
Ann Nguyen of Melbourne 1; York Yu of Cordeaux Heights 2.
Evening session
Ravel/Debussy piano solo open
Jennifer Hou of Ashfield 1.
Chopin piano scholarship solo open
Aaron Liu of Forest Lake 1; Rio Xiang of Northmead 2 and Timothy Liu of Brighton East highly commended.
Sunday June 7, 2015
Afternoon session
Piano scholarship solo final
William Cesta of Merewether 1; Aaron Liu of Forest Lake 2; Rio Xiang of Northmead 3; Timothy Liu of Brighton East and Jennifer Hou of Ashfield highly commended.
