• Maia Vegar - winner of 2011 Otago Daily Times Aria in Dunedin, Kawiti Waetford - 2nd place and Jonathan Abernethy 3rd place. Read the article from the Otago Daily Times.
• Chris Bruerton selected as the only non-British born singer ever to join the Kings Singers. He is shortly to undertake a tour of Australia and New Zealand with them. Read their announcement from the Kings Singers website.
• Marlene Devoe, Amelia Berry and James Loelu are all studying at the Manhattan School of Music.
• Edward Laurenson and Elisabeth Hanna Very Highly Commended at the NZAria in Rotorua. Read all the results from the Rotorua Daily Post.
• Tamsyn Miller released her debut EP album, "Who Is Chess Countess?". It's availlble for $10 from her website.

 

In celebration of the 25th Singing School in 2011, the Trust has printed a history of the School from 1978 to 2011 titled "Beatrice's Legacy" after the School's founder. Compiled by Diane Hopon from the records and memories of past participants, this delightful memoir will be a good read for past students and those interested in the School's contribution to singing and singers in New Zealand. The Trust would like to thank Diane for the many hours she put into compiling the book; and we would also like to thank Hawke's Bay Tourism for assisting us financially to print the book. The book is for sale at $20.00 plus $2.50 post and packaging. Please email us if you would like a copy.

Sat 8th Oct 2011 9.30 am-4.30pm & Sun 9th Oct 2011 10am–12pm

 

PURPOSE OF MASTERCLASS AND WORKSHOP:

To provide expert singing coaching to students preparing for their Trinity or Royal School of Music examinations, primarily at the advanced level. There will also be a second day of a workshop style with interactive teaching, highlighted with examples from senior students; this will be suited to a broad audience of singers who are not necessarily focused on exams. The Masterclass will mostly follow a traditional format providing a participative experience for 9 students, and an observation experience for many more students, singers and teachers.

 

To provide expert singing coaching to students preparing for their Trinity or Royal School of Music examinations, primarily at the advanced level. There will also be a second day of a workshop style with interactive teaching, highlighted with examples from senior students; this will be suited to a broad audience of singers who are not necessarily focused on exams. The Masterclass will mostly follow a traditional format providing a participative experience for 9 students, and an observation experience for many more students, singers and teachers.

 

ABOUT FRANCES...

The New Zealand Singing School Trust is delighted to welcome Frances back to Hawke's Bay to direct this Masterclass and Workshop Since the age of twelve, Frances Wilson-Fitzgerald has been involved with great singing teachers - beginning with Dame Sister Mary Leo in Auckland, and continuing through the next forty years in London, Adelaide, Melbourne, Bloomington, Indiana and New York; playing for, coaching and studying with many great musicians. Frances has spent hundreds of hours in all of these capacities and is totally absorbed by the journey of a young singer from vocal beginnings to the professional life many of them attain.

Currently Frances is dedicating much of her energy providing help to as many young aspiring singers as possible through the Auckland Opera Studio, by employing greatly respected coaches and teachers to give classes to groups of aspiring artists, both collectively and singly.

Frances has been a tutor of several New Zealand Singing Schools held biennially in Hawke’s Bay.

 

LINKS:

Trinity examinations: http://www.trinitycollege.co.uk/site/?id=620

Royal Schools of Music: http://www.abrsm.org/en/regions/australia-nz/new-zealand/

NZ Music Examination Board: http://www.nzmeb.org/

Frances Wilson: http://www.franceswilsonfitzgerald.com/

 

Registrations Essential – please fill in this form and send to NZ Singing School, PO Box 2524 Stortford Lodge, Hastings 4153 or email details to info@singingschool.org.nz. Registrations open 1st September.

The New Zealand Singing School is currently looking for new Trustees. Please look at the attached listing which is currently being advertised through the Institute of Directors magazine Boardroom.

The following awards were given to students of the 2011 School.

This article appeared in Hawke's Bay Today.

This timetable is still in draft form, but it gives you a good idea of how the school will run.
Please click here to download.

The New Zealand Singing School 2011 Brochure is now available as a PDF download. Please click here to download.

March 28, 2010 - Award winning New Zealand soprano Anna Leese (left) will be artist in residence at the New Zealand Singing School in January next year, the Minister for Arts, Chris Finlayson, announced on Saturday.

Mr Finlayson, describing the singing school as unique in Australasia, said inauguration of the role of an artist in residence was another major development in New Zealand’s contribution to culture and the arts.

In a speech detailing plans for the 25th national singing school, to be held again in Hawke’s Bay, Mr Finlayson acknowledged the contributions of top New Zealand artists and the Hawke’s Bay-based volunteers who pioneered the enterprise 30 years ago. Over the years they have created opportunities for young New Zealand singers to make a name for themselves internationally, he said.

He was speaking to a selected audience in the Hastings Opera House, where a former student at the school, Wellington tenor James Adams and Australasia’s top accompanist Professor Terence Dennis made a guest performance.

Napier-born Anna is currently performing the role of Tatyana in Eugene Onegin in Ghent, Belgium. After the premiere last week one European reviewer described her performance as a “revelation”.

A Canadian reviewer had earlier described her as “a flawless jewel, polished and ready to be placed in whatever crown the fates have prepared for her.”

Yet another of New Zealand’s young professional singers who has been a student at the school is Simon O’Neill, now making a career on the world’s Wagnerian stage.

Mr Finlayson said the return of Anna Leese to Hawke’s Bay in January had been made possible by Black Barn Vineyards, Havelock North, who have agreed to sponsor an artist in residence for the next two schools.

Judy Bellingham, senior lecturer in voice at Otago University, will return as artistic director. She will have responsibility for up to 80 students on the campus of the Eastern Institute of Technology at Taradale. There will be 30 faculty members, among them bass Conal Coad, conductor Dr Karen Grylls, accompanist Professor Terence Dennis and London-based vocal coach David Harper, who was in Hastings for Saturday’s announcement. There will be at least 21 pianos in action on each of the 10 days.

A new curriculum will include opportunities for two invited young pianists and two young singing teachers. They will work alongside experienced teachers and will participate in massed items at four public concerts.

For the 80 singers another facet of the school will be a strengthening of sessions on stagecraft, skills that are beyond the resources of many studio singing teachers. And there will be awards – some contributed by tutors and trustees who have dug into their own pockets so impressed have they been with the quality of the emerging talent.

Anna Leese will be able to prepare at the school for forthcoming performances. “She will have access to great repetiteurs and great language coaches. She will  perform for the students and will mingle with them socially,” Judy Bellingham said.
She noted that, as artistic director, the curriculum will have her on the campus 12 hours a day.

Dame Kiri te Kanawa,  patron of the New Zealand Singing School Trust  along with Dame Malvina Major and Sir Donald McIntyre, wrote: “ I am pleased to note the decision to name Anna Leese as the inaugural artist in residence.
“Thirty years ago when the trust was formed to conduct a small summer school,  few  could have foreseen that this would develop into a platform for many of our finest young singers.”

Eileen von Dadelszen, chairman of the trust said: “As long as we have enthusiastic and generous supporters like Anna Leese and Black Barn, the school will continue to play an essential part in training singers from all over New Zealand and from overseas.”