2017 MAA Winner is Sharolyn Kimmorley AM

Nominated by a panel of industry peers, this year’s MAA has been awarded to Sharolyn Kimmorley AM in recognition of her long and distinguished career. In 2016, MOST® established the MOST Achievement Award (MAA) to acknowledge the contributions of established industry professionals and to recognise elite members of the classical music fraternity.

In presenting the MAA, Jeffrey Black, Chair of the ASC Music Advisory Committee, praised her “exceptional musician’s ear and..unstinting, unrelenting commitment to excellence.”

Sharolyn Kimmorley’s Acceptance Speech:

“I feel very honoured to have been named the 2017 recipient of the MOST Achievement Award and am disappointed that my work commitments in Europe prevent me from joining you at the Finals Concert this evening to receive this Award in person. The IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition has provided incredible opportunities for so many of our outstanding young singers since its beginning in 1982. Many of the participants have gone on to have successful careers both in Australia and Internationally and I am proud to have had a long association with so many of the singers who have been involved. I am deeply grateful that this Award has recognised and celebrates my contribution, passion and unwavering commitment to excellence. I will continue to share my experiences with this wonderful profession.”

Sharolyn Kimmorley’s Biography

After studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Sharolyn Kimmorley joined the Music Staff of The Australian Opera in 1975 and has assisted in the preparation of a vast range of works with many distinguished singers and conductors. In 1985 she became Principal Repetiteur for The Australian Opera and in 1987 was appointed Head of Music Staff.  From 1994 to 1999 she was the company’s Artistic Administrator, following which she was Opera Australia’s Director of Music Administration until June 2003.
Sharolyn Kimmorley is regarded as one of Australia’s finest vocal coaches and accompanists. She has recorded for the ABC, taken part in Chamber Music Concerts, and accompanied some of the world’s most distinguished musicians including Dame Joan Sutherland, Håkan Hagegård, Neil Rosenshein, Bryn Terfel, Joan Carden, Stephen Bennett, Michael Lewis, Wilhelmenia Fernandez, Sir Thomas Allen, Désirée Rancatore, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, David Hobson, Elizabeth Campbell, Keith Lewis, Inessa Galante, Dennis O’Neill, Kathleen Battle, Jonathan Lemalu, Peter Coleman-Wright and Cheryl Barker, Yvonne Kenny, Ryan McKinney, Barbara Bonney, Emma-Jane Murphy and Sasha Rozhdestvensky.
She regularly accompanies the major singing competitions and in 1983 was invited by Tito Gobbi to be the accompanist for the Concorso Internazionale per Cantanti at Bassano del Grappa and coach for the Studio dell’opera Italiana at Asolo. In 2001 she was a jury member for the first China (Guangdong) International Singing Competition and has adjudicated Symphony Australia’s Young Performer Award.
Sharolyn was the recipient of the 2003 Opera Foundation Australia Bayreuth Scholarship and in 2004 was involved as rehearsal conductor and vocal coach for Der Ring des Nibelungen for State Opera of South Australia.
Sharolyn has been guest vocal coach at the Australian National University, Australian Opera Studio, West Australian Opera, West, Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Auckland University, Southern Opera (Christchurch), London’s Guildhall School of Music and The Cardiff International Vocal Academy.
Sharolyn is very active in her work to assist young singers and in 2009 became a member of the Order of Australia in recognition of her work as an accompanist and the nurturing and mentoring of emerging artists.
Sharolyn is currently Artistic Adviser to the Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust and Chorus Director of Southern Opera in Christchurch. From July 2017 she has been guest Vocal Coach at the Tiroler Festepiele in Erl, Austria.