Stephen Diaz Fundraising Concert
The fundraising concert by Stephen Diaz and friends held by Dame Jenny Gibbs on Monday 11th September is now sold out!
If you didn't get your ticket before it sold out we have some good news. Auckland Opera Studio will be hosting a second concert at the Studio on Wednesday 27th September. Drinks and canapés will be served from 6:00pm and the concert will start at 6:30 pm. As for the ticket price, a donation of $50 - $70 is requested and student ticket price is $15. Get in quick as there are only a limited number of seats available. RSVP to Devin at devin@jpasearch.com or on 09 523 1013.
Stephen Diaz embarked on his singing journey in 2004 when he joined the Auckland youth choir. In the following years, Stephen moved on to the national youth choir and then the Auckland chamber choir at the University of Auckland where he was pursuing a Bachelor of Music, under the tutelage of Morag Atchison. He was accepted in to the Dame Malvina Major PWC emerging artist program with NZO, at this point he had already been successful in competitions and placements for schools such as the New Zealand Opera School, which he attended 3 times from 2010 and masterclasses with the likes of Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Sir Andrew Davis. In 2012 Stephen was runner up in the Lexus song Quest and winner of the New Zealand Aria competition, he was also the recipient of the Circle 100 scholarship. Stephen has made remarkable progress, learning with Frances Wilson at the Auckland Opera Studio for the past 6 Years. Over the years, Stephen has performed recurrently various companies and musical societies around New Zealand and he is currently preparing to embark on his International career, with an engagement which will see him based in Belgium until 2019.
Tavis Gravatt was first introduced to opera at age 12, his last year of intermediate school and has been enjoying the sweet sounds ever since. His first real foray into the opera scene was through 'Opera Factory' a boutique opera company in the heart of Newmarket where he played a number of lead and supporting roles. At the age of 17 he was invited to join the Chapman Tripp New Zealand Opera Chorus where he continues to sing. In the autumn of 2010 he won the Becroft Operatic Aria category in the North Shore Competitions, this granted him automatic entry to the Sydney Eisteddfod McDonald's Aria where he got through to the quarter final rounds of the competition. Later in spring he made it to the final of the Lockwood NZ Aria competition and had the distinct privilege of singing with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra in the evening performance. Later that evening he was presented with the 'Most Promising Voice' award. For many years now he has attended the New Zealand Opera School, for intensive tuition from excellent local and international singing tutors, including Professor Paul Farrington. In 2012 he made it through to the final 12 of the Lexus Song Quest and placed third in the New Zealand Aria. This placing was immediately preceded by the opportunity to attend Patricia Hurley’s Italian tour which was made possible by the generosity of the Dame Malvina Major Foundation. Earlier this year Tavis was chosen to sing in the Lexus Song Quest final with the NZSO under the baton of Edo de Waart.
Morag Atchison is one of New Zealand’s leading sopranos. She studied at the University of Auckland and the Royal Academy of Music (London) and was a finalist in the Kathleen Ferrier and Royal Over-Seas League Competitions. She has sung roles with NZ Opera, English Touring Opera, Opera Unleashed, NZSO, APO, and Aspen Festival Opera, and has performed internationally in the UK, Europe, Canada, USA, Australia, Kenya, and Seychelles. She is a frequent soloist with NZ’s major choral societies and is regularly heard on Radio NZ in concert and recital. This year Morag’s engagements include performances with Auckland Choral, Voices NZ Chamber Choir, the Karlheinz Company, Bach Musica, and Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire at the University of Auckland. She recently presented at the World Choral Symposium in Barcelona and the International Congress of Voice Teachers in Stockholm. Morag holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts, is a lecturer in voice at the University of Auckland, and is a vocal tutor for the NZ Youth Choir.
Robert Wiremu is a teacher, coach and accompanist, working with aspiring singers for many years. As a senior tutor, professional teaching fellow and vocal coach, Robert has been central to the development of the musicianship, classical voice, conducting, and choral programmes at the University of Auckland. He also composes and arranges, and his work frequently features in choral and solo recitals. He has performed as a soloist, accompanist and conductor at the NZ Festival of the Arts and the Auckland Arts Festival. He has been director of the NZ Secondary Students' Choir, deputy director of the NZ Singing School (Te Toi Waiata Aotearoa), and the producer for Opera in the Pa. Currently, Robert’s main project is a collaboration with kapa haka composer, Tuirina Wehi, which has resulted in performances by the University of Auckland Chamber Choir, Voices NZ and the NZ Youth Choir. Robert’s pedagogies about lyric diction have been presented in lectures and workshops for the NZ Choral Federation, the Association of Choral Directors of Aotearoa, and are used by teachers and conductors throughout NZ, Australia, and Canada. He has been an adviser for international ensembles such as Chanticleer (USA), Europa Cantat (Belgium), The Kings Singers (UK), and the University of Auckland Chamber Choir. Robert has adjudicated ‘The Big Sing’ for the NZ Choral Federation, the NZ Aria (Rotorua), and the IFAC Australian Singing Competition. He is an artistic advisor to the NZ Youth Choir and the national chamber choir, Voices NZ.
Date: Wednesday 27th September 2017
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm - concert starts at 6:30pm Location: Auckland Opera Studio, 2nd Floor, 24 St Benedicts Street, Auckland.
