The Foundation supports emerging artists in various ways. Funds are given through various programmes and are not generally given directly to individuals. Discretionary grants are occasionally awarded.

NBR New Zealand Opera PricewaterhouseCoopers Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artists

The main focus of Foundation sponsorship is through this programme. Co-ordinated and administered by NBR New Zealand Opera, the programme offers a unique opportunity for young artists to work with professionals in the opera industry to develop the skills required to prepare for a career in opera. They receive regular tuition from Dame Malvina. Up to six emerging artists are selected annually and since 2000 many singers have gone on to have international training, successes and careers.

For further information and how to apply, visit: http://www.nzopera.com/

2009/2010 Young Artist

DAVID KELLY, Repetiteur

David started piano at ten and 2 years later was accepted into the Specialist Music Programme at Burnside High School, Christchurch.  While there he was a finalist in the National Secondary Schools' Chamber Music Competition, and received an Exhibition Award from the Trinity College Examinations Board.

He spent three years studying Performance Piano at Canterbury University under Diedre Irons, and then privately with Dr Maurice Till.  He worked as an accompanist at the University of Canterbury in the studios of Vernon Midgley and Dame Malvina Major, and was also involved as pianist for Christchurch City Choir, Christchurch Symphony and NASDA.  He was awarded the Cynthia Magner Scholarship in association with the Dame Malvina Major Foundation.

A 2006 PwC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist for The NBR New Zealand Opera, David was principal repetiteur for Mozart's The Magic Flute and Donizetti's Don Pasquale as well as playing for many concerts and rehearsals. After graduating David played for the NZSO's Mahler #2.

Although contracted to The NBR New Zealand Opera for 2007, he was released in order to pursue an opportunity with the Australian Opera Studio in Perth, Western Australia, where he played for productions of Mozart's La Finta Giardiniera, La Clemenza di Tito, and Idomeneo, Weill's Dreigroschenoper, Humperdinck's Haensel und Gretel, Chabrier's L'Etoile, and the "triple-bill" of Rimsky-Korsakov's Mozart and Salieri, Stravinsky's Mavra and Poulenc's La Voix Humaine.  After graduating in 2008, David returned to New Zealand to undertake the roles of principal and chorus repetiteur on Eugene Onegin and chorus repetiteur on The Italian Girl in Algiers.

Alongside this David works closely with the Company's emerging and resident artists as a vocal coach and as an accompanist for the many intern concert events undertaken by the Company.

Past Young Artists

2008/2009: Kristen Darragh
2007/2008: Wade Kernot

2009/2010 PwC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artists

BRIGITTE HEUSER, mezzo soprano Born in Wellington, Brigitte's early music experience included violin studies and singing with the Wellington City Opera children's chorus.  Recently selected as a PwC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist, Brigitte gained a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Film and Media Studies) from Otago University in 2005. In 2006 she completed her Bachelor of Music with Honours (1st class) from the New Zealand School of Music, majoring in Vocal performance. In 2007 Brigitte studied at the Australian Opera Studio (Perth), and graduated in 2008 with Merit.  Brigitte's operatic repertoire includes Hänsel, Hänsel und Gretel (Humperdinck), Annio, La Clemenza di Tito; Idamante, Idomeneo (Mozart); The Mother, Mavra (Stravinsky); Aloes, L'Etoile (Chabrier); Jenny Diver, Threepenny Opera (Weill) and Susan, The Genteel Pigeons (Drummond). Brigitte's concert repertoire includes the Alto solos in Bruckner's Te Deum, Mozart's Requiem and Vivaldi's Magnificat and Gloria.  In 2008 Brigitte performed to a sold out audience in Tokyo for the International Foundation of Arts and Culture.  Competition success includes PACANZ National Vocal performer of the year 2006, the Moyra Todd and Les and Sonia Andrews cultural foundation scholarship.
ALEXANDRA IOAN, soprano Newly appointed PwC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist, Alexandra is currently completing her Masters in Music (Voice Performance) at the University of Auckland. Originally from Romania, Alexandra studied piano, alongside choir, music theory and Romanian folk dancing.  She has a Bachelor of Music (Honours) and a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting. Scholarships include the Reardon Postgraduate and Kathleen Mary Reardon Travelling scholarship, the Evelyn M. Harrison and the Pears-Britten scholarship.  Alexandra recently won both the Becroft Aria, North Shore competitions, and the Napier Computer Systems Aria and last year was a finalist in the New Zealand Aria in Rotorua. She has been a member of Opera Factory for four years and in 2008 successfully auditioned for the NBR NZ Opera chorus. Her most recent opera roles are Olympia, Prima Donna (Arthur Benjamin); Miss Wordsworth, Albert Herring (Britten) and Isobel, A Factory Opera (David Griffiths). Highlights include singing Pie Jesu alongside Dame Kiri Te Kanawa at the Nelson Sealord Opera in the Park in 2008 and performing with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in the New Zealand Aria final.
POLLY OTT, soprano Polly has a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Canterbury majoring in performance voice under the tuition of Dame Malvina Major and completes an honours degree in 2009. She performed in the chorus of Carmen in 2007 and Il Trovatore in 2008 with Southern Opera as well performances with the Solid Energy Southern Opera Ensemble in provincial towns throughout the South Island. Her most recent highlight was selection as a finalist for this year's Lexus Song Quest, performing with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.  Previously Polly was a member of the Tower NZ Youth Choir which successfully toured Canada and Europe in 2007. She was also a member of the NZ Secondary Students' Choir from 2003 to 2006, which toured Canada and the USA in August 2004 winning international competitions, including the Choir of World competition in China in 2006. Polly has performed for the Dame Malvina Major Foundation, and as a Wedding Singer for Watabe Weddings, Christchurch, NZ 2007.  Polly is a 2009/2010 PwC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist with The NBR New Zealand Opera.
ANDREW GRENON, tenor Current PwC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist and born and raised in Christchurch, Andrew has been singing since childhood. A high school music teacher encouraged him to take singing more seriously and he studied voice at the University of Canterbury under Vernon Midgley.  He recently graduated with a Bachelor of Music with Honours.  Andrew has sung a wide variety of choral, concert and opera repertoire. His work includes the role of 'Jimmy Sullivan' in the 2006 Platform Arts Festival production of Anthony Ritchie's God Boy, Karl Jenkins The Armed Man and Rachmaninoff Vespers for the Christchurch City Choir, and Pilate in Arvo Pärt's Passio with youth choral group, Cantores. He toured with the Christchurch Cathedral Choir to England during July and August of 2008.

Past Emerging Artists

2008/2009: Anna Argyle, Claire Barton, Daniel O'Connor

2007/2008: Hadleigh Adams, Barbara Graham, Julia Booth, Michael Gray, Matthew Landreth, Barbara Paterson

2006: David Kelly, Catherine Norton, Rachelle Pike, Sarah-Ann Walker

2005: Paloma Bruce, Rebecca Crabtree, Malcolm Ede, Sarah Wood

2004: Kristen Darragh, Andrew Glover, Wade Kernot, Phillip Rhodes

2003: Stephanie Bain, Seamus Casey, Sarah McOnie, Carla Parry, Elaine Wogan

2002: Seamus Casey, Andrew Conley, Sarah-Jane Rennie, Emma Sloman

2001: Andrew Conley, Joanna Heslop, Helen Lear, Todd Mohi, April-Marie Neho

2000: Penny Davis, James Harrison, Joanna Heslop, James Meng, Brendon Mercer, Wendy Dawn Thompson