The Singer of the Year Competition is proudly supported by the Robert Salzer Foundation.
Welcome to the Melbourne Welsh Male Choir’s official information page for Singer of the Year 2026 – now in its 34th year. – Competition Winner!
We are delighted to announce that Lily Flynn – Soprano – is our 34th “Singer of the Year” and Winner of the
Robert Salzer Foundation Award – Trophy and $7,000
Congratulations to Finalists
Heulen Cynfal — Soprano
The Herb Jenkins Memorial Prize Trophy and $1,500
Amelia Wawrzon — Soprano
Melbourne Welsh Male Choir Life Members Award Trophy and $1,500
FULL DETAILS UNDER:
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 a diversity of performance pieces. Currently these are three vocal styles; an Art song or Lied, an Aria from Opera or Oratorio and a substantial show-tune or selection from the Great American Songbook. Previous winners have gone on to grace national and international opera and concert stages. (See the impressive Roll under.)
Singer of the Year is also known as “A Competition within a Concert” – a popular format with audiences which sees the competitors perform their selected pieces punctuated by the Melbourne Male Welsh Choirs much celebrated and entertaining repertoire.
Our Choir Patron and Singer of the Year Convenor, David Ashton Smith OAM will again look forward to inviting our 2027 competitors to come forward and for audiences with a love of vocal and choral arts to join us as we support and encourage these emerging stars of opera and stage.
Our 2026 Singer of the Year Finals Concert Details
There was an excellent response to our 2026 Qualifying Heats with 15 pre-qualifying auditioners each demonstrating exceptional talents – so with that a great challenge to our Heats Adjudicators.
The Finals concert was held at the Ian Woolf Auditorium, De Young Performing Arts Centre, Carey Grammar School on Saturday 3rd October before Principal Adjudicator Dr. Linda Barcan assisted by David Ashton Smith OAM. Konrad Olszewski was our concert accompanist – one of Australia’s finest and most sought after pianists.
Our Winners and Finalists were:
Winner – Singer of the Year – ” The Robert Salzer Foundation Award” Trophy, Perpetual Shield and $7,000
Lily Flyn – Soprano who performed:
“Le jet d’eau” — Claude Debussy
“Una voce poco fa” — Gioachino Rossini, from Il barbiere di Siviglia
“Moonfall” — Rupert Holmes, from The Mystery of Edwin Drood
What the Adjudicator said: A beautifully controlled and expressive performance, rich in language and emotion, that earned Lily the 2026 title.
Finalist – winner of the “The Herb Jenkins Memorial Award Trophy and $1,500
Heulen Cynfal – Soprano who performed:
“Ynys y Plant” (The Children’s Isle) — E.T. Davies
“Depuis le jour” — Gustave Charpentier, from Louise
“I could have danced all night.” — Lerner and Loewe, from My Fair Lady
What the Adjudicator said: Elegant, refined yet powerful singing recognised with this year’s memorial award.
Finalist – winner of the “The MWMC Life Members Award” Trophy and $1,500
Amelia Wawrzon – Soprano who performed:
“Ouvre tes yeux bleus” — Jules Massenet
“Regnava nel silenzio… Quando rapito in estasi” — Gaetano Donizetti, from Lucia di Lammermoor
“If I Loved You” — Richard Rodgers, from Carousel
What the Adjudicator said: A deeply musical, engaging and thoroughly dynamic performance honoured by the Life Members.
The Singer of the Year Perpetual Shield 2025 Winner – Alessia Pintabona – hands over the 2026 title to Lily Flynn
We welcomed back Alessia Pintabona – Soprano who performed “Kommt ein schlanker Bursch gegangen” by Carl Maria von Weber from Der Freischutz” and our Finale piece Panis Angelicus with the Choir. Lily’s name now joins Alessia’s as the 34th Perpetual Shield recipient. See the full Honor Roll under.
2026 - Photo Highlights
(Official Event Photographer - All images - James Pyne Photography)
Left to right – David Ashton-Smith Patron/Convenor/Co-adjudicator – Amelia Wawrzon – Lily Flynn – Heulen Cynfal – Dr. Linda Barcan Principal Adjudicator
Winner Lily Flynn with
Competition Accompanist
Konrad Olszewski
Singer of the Year Winners Honor Roll
Previous winners have gone on to grace national and international opera and concert stages. Here is our full Honor Roll list.
- 2026 – Lily Flynn (Soprano)
- 2025 – Alessia Pintabona (Soprano)
- 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)
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT SINGER OF THE YEAR?
