10 September 2018
The 2018 IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition Final was held on 8 September at The Verbrugghen Hall in Sydney.
Zoe Drummond was named the winner of the Marianne Mathy Scholarship after her stunning performances of Mozart’s Nel grave tormento and Verdi’s Sul fil d’un soffio etesio accompanied by the Opera Australia Orchestra conducted by Dr. Nicholas Milton.
At the 2018 IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition Zoe won:
The Marianne Mathy Scholarship (‘THE MATHY‘)
AUD $30,000 to assist with a program of study and/or singing activity
The winner of The Mathy will also receive:
1. Audition Prize from Lyric Opera of Chicago‘s Ryan Opera Center: an opportunity to audition for Lyric Opera of Chicago’s professional-artist development program, The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center.
2. Lili Ussher Prize Portrait: a painting of the winner in concert dress.
3. Oral History Award: a taped interview by oral historian Diana Ritch will be recorded and retained within the Oral History Collection of the National Library of Australia.
4. The Mathy: a limited-edition Drago Marin Cherina sculpture presented by Music & Opera Singers Trust Ltd (MOST®).
Zoe was also awarded the Canberra Symphony Orchestra Prize: a professional engagement to perform with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
The Adjudicators were: Linnhe Robertson (National Adjudicator), Michael Halliwell, Anthony Hunt, Noemi Nadelmann, and Raff Wilson.
View the ASC Finals Programme here.
Zoe is currently completing an Artist Masters of Opera Performance on full scholarship at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London. She completed a Bachelor of Music Performance with First Class Honours at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, during which time she was awarded numerous scholarships for academic and musical excellence.
Zoe has been a Melba Opera Trust Scholar for three years as a proud recipient of the 2015 RJ Hamer Opera Scholarship, the 2016 and the 2017 Dame Nellie Melba Scholarship and Patrick & Vivian Gordon Award. Nominated by the Trust, Zoe was awarded the Sydney Opera House Opera Award, granting her the opportunity to work with internationally acclaimed soprano, Renee Fleming.
Zoe made her Opera Australia debut in Sydney Opera House – The Opera (The Eighth Wonder) as Clare Goldring, Architect’s Daughter and Socialite.
In 2017 she won the Opera Foundation for Young Australians Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship, won second prize in the 2016 Mietta Song Competition, and received the 2016 Megan Evans OAM Encouragement Award from the Joan Sutherland/Richard Bonynge Foundation.
Zoe will appear with Opera Australia in the role of Giroflé/ Girofla in the operetta ‘Two Weddings, One Bride’ at the Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne in November 2019.