The Singer of the Year Competition is proudly supported by the Robert Salzer Foundation.
Singer of the Year 2025
Welcome to the Melbourne Male Welsh Choir official information page for Singer of the Year 2025 – now in its 32nd year!
History
The inaugural Singer of the Year Competition was held in 1993 and since then it has become one of Australia’s leading performance competitions. It is one of a few competitions which emphasises concert performance as a key criterion. Previous winners have gone on to grace the national and international opera and concert stages.
Our Patron and Singer of the Year Convenor, David Ashton Smith OAM again warmly invites competitors to come forward and for audiences with a love of vocal and choral arts to join us for our annual event.
For our competitors
The Singer of the Year 2025 competition is produced by the Melbourne Welsh Male Choir and its purpose is to allow singers to have their abilities evaluated in a concert environment by professional adjudicators.
The competition is based on performing three pieces:
- An Aria from Opera or Oratorio
- An Art Song or Lied
- A substantial item from Musical Theatre or the Great American Songbook
The total prize pool this year is $10,000 Prize monies and trophies are awarded in the following categories:
Winner – Singer of the Year – ” The Robert Salzer Foundation Award” Trophy and $7,000
Finalist – “The Herb Jenkins Memorial Award” Trophy and $1,500
Finalist – “The Alan Stevenson Award” Trophy and $1,500
(Contestants must be 35 years of age or younger in the current year, an Australian Citizen or have the relevant student Visa.)
Closing date for applications is: Sunday, August 31, 2025 via the online Application Form (see link below). Full Terms and Conditions are to be acknowledged
The Qualifying Heats
The Qualifying Heats are held 1 to 6pm Saturday 6th September, 2025 (Subject to final confirmation with the Organisers) at Maroondah Federation Estate in Ringwood (map).
The Qualifying Heats are a Free public event and a great opportunity to hear and see and add to the atmosphere as the entrants perform before the adjudicators. Reserve your Free ticket by clicking the following link.
The Finals – Singer of the Year Concert
You’ll hear an entertaining program as the three Singer of the Year Finalists perform their three pieces punctuated by the best of the Melbourne Welsh Male Choir.
Date: Saturday 20th September, 2025
Time: 2pm to 4.15 pm
Venue (map): Carey Baptist Grammar School’s De Young Centre for Performing Arts
349 Barkers Road Kew VIC 3101
The De Young Centre for Performing Arts is a beautiful purpose-built auditorium seating 300 – plenty of on-site parking.
Tickets on sale now (click the link below)
Singer of the Year 2024
The 2024 finalists left to right Ben Glover, Esther Counsel and Lisette Bolton pose with MWMC President Kevin Seerup, (left), their accompanist Konrad Olszewski and our Music Director Mitchell Meyer (right)
Our Winner Esther Counsel, with Kevin Seerup and Mitchell Meyer
The 2024 competition produced some wonderful performances from the competitors at the qualifying heats at Federation Estate and an outstanding finale, with the James Tatoulis Auditorium at Methodist Ladies College Kew resounding to the songs and arias of our SOTY finalists Lisette Bolton, Ben Glover and Esther Counsel.
The contestants’ program:
Lisette Bolton: Ach, ich Fühls and Einst träumte sel’gen Base |
Ben Glover: Love Too Frequently Betrayed and Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön |
Esther Counsel: Donde lieta usci and Pleurez mes yeux |
Performances were adjudicated by Margaret Arnold and MWMC Music Director Mitchell Meyer
The Judges commented on the standard of performance of all the contestants, awarding the SOTY prize and trophy to Esther Counsel.
We congratulate all the finalists on their performances and look forward to having them perform with the choir as guest soloists in future. The choir’s thanks go to the distinguished adjudicator Margaret Arnold and the finalist’s talented accompanist – Konrad Olszewski.
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Singer of the Year 2023
The 2023 finalists left to right Alessia Pintabona, Naomi Flatman and Lisette Bolton pose with our MD David Ashton-Smith.
The 2023 competition produced some wonderful performances from the competitors at the elimination heats at Federation Estate and an outstanding finale with the auditorium at the North Ringwood Uniting Church resounding to the songs and arias of our SOTY finalists. The SOTY winner on this occasion was mezzo-soprano – Naomi Flatman.
We congratulate all the finalists on their performances and look forward to having them perform with the choir as guest soloists in future. The choir’s thanks go to the distinguished adjudicator Margaret Arnold and the finalist’s talented accompanist – Phillipa Safey.
History
The inaugural Singer of the Year Competition was held in 1993 and since then it has become one of Australia’s leading performance competitions. It is one of the few competitions which emphasise performance as a key criteria. Previous winners have gone on to grace the national and international opera and concert stages.
- 2024 – Esther Counsel (Soprano)
- 2023 – Naomi Flatman (Lyric Mezzo Soprano)
- 2022 – Shania Eliassen (Soprano)
- 2021 – Samantha Hargeaves (Soprano)
- 2020 – Gabrielle Penney (Soprano)
- 2019 – Chloe Harris (Mezzo Soprano)
- 2018 – Stephen Marsh (Baritone)
- 2017 – Bronte Zemlic (Mezzo Soprano)
- 2016 – Kate Amos(Soprano)
- 2015 – Michael Lampard (Baritone)
- 2014 – Jeremy Kleeman (Bass/Baritone)
- 2013 – Stacey Alleaume (Soprano)
- 2012 – Lee Abrahmsen (Soprano)
- 2011 – Siobhan Stagg (Soprano)
- 2010 – Barbara Zavros (Soprano)
- 2009 – Samuel Dundas (Baritone)
- 2008 – Jacqueline Porter (Soprano)
- 2007 – Adrian Tamburini (Baritone)
- 2006 – Suzanne Shakespeare (Coloratura-Soprano)
- 2005 – Lauren Oldham (Soprano)
- 2004 – Mark Fowler (Tenor)
- 2003 – Lisa Anne Robinson (Soprano)
- 2002 – Michelle Cook (Soprano)
- 2001 – Amanda Forbes (Soprano)
- 2000 – John Bode (Tenor)
- 1999 – Alexandra Sherman (Mezzo-Soprano)
- 1998 – Leslie Martin (Soprano)
- 1997 – Kim Wheeler (Soprano)
- 1996 – Antoinette Halloran (Soprano)
- 1995 – Sally-Anne Russell (Mezzo-Soprano)
- 1994 – Paul Blewett (Baritone)
- 1993 – Paul Batey (Tenor)
