Liam Wooding

Liam grew up in Whanganui where he dabbled in various musical pursuits, and enjoyed piano lessons. When he was in year 12 at high school, he decided to study music at the University of Auckland. “At school, I wasn’t thinking of music as my livelihood, but more as a subject I loved,” he says. However, his choice of study placed him on a path to becoming a professional pianist.

After completing his undergraduate degree, Liam joined the University of Waikato to begin a Master of Music (MMus), where he says the environment really suited him. “I enjoyed the interaction with staff and I felt very supported – I guess it is a smaller community and that suited me better. I had space to be myself and breathe.”

Liam graduated from Waikato in 2017 and then spent three years at the Australian National Academy of Music until he decided on another educational step to PhD study. He had several options of where to study and even though he is based in Perth, he chose to study at Waikato again. “My doctoral topic of ‘New Zealand Piano Music’ closely aligned with Professor Martin Lodge, my supervisor. My own personal voice as a New Zealand pianist who is tangata whenua will be an important perspective to insert into that topic.”

Liam has high praise for Waikato’s Music Department. “The culture there is very unique and the lecturers go above and beyond for their students. I really appreciate what they did and continue to do for me. There are amazing musicians who have come from Waikato.”

In addition to his study, Liam regularly performs live. He loves the “buzz” of performing for a live audience. “Performing feels like an extreme sport — the adrenalin rush is great feeling. I feed off my relationship with the audience too. Recognising that I am playing to them gives purpose and meaning to my performance.”

His childhood experiences of dabbling in all genres of music continues to impact his work. “At the end of the day it is all music and it doesn’t matter whether it solo, collaborative or new music, I find interest in all these situations.”

Liam is currently a visiting researcher at the University of California San Diego, as a Fulbright Scholar and has released an album 'The Complete Cabaret Songs of William Bolcom' with fellow Waikato alumna, Stephanie Acraman.

He encourages the next generation of music students to dream big, be brave and believe that there is a life to make from music. “Ask questions and if you have a problem, solve it with your teachers alongside you. Practise as much as you can, you will never get this time back so don’t take the time and investment for granted.”