Breadcrumbs

Inaugural recipients selected for Te Pae Kōkako

15 December 2022

Madeleine Pierard
Madeleine Pierard, Dame Malvina Major Chair in Opera.

Six promising opera students have been selected for the University of Waikato’s immersive Master of Music programme in Advanced Opera Studies in 2023.

Rhiannon Cooper, Alfred Fonoti-Fuimaono, Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono, Taylor Wallbank, Katherine Winitana and Cecilia Zhang are the first group of students to study the Master of Music programme within the newly-created Te Pae Kōkako: The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio (TANZOS).

TANZOS is the long-held vision of Dame Malvina Major, a Senior Fellow in Music at the University, who has long wanted to see New Zealand’s brightest young opera starts trained in country. TANZOS will provide training from national and international tutors, and the opera students will travel to residencies in New Zealand and abroad. It is the first programme of its kind in New Zealand to combine academic rigour with immersive industry training.

TANZOS is headed by New Zealand soprano Madeleine Pierard, the inaugural Dame Malvina Major Chair in Opera, a role funded by Hamilton philanthropists Sir William and Judi, Lady Gallagher, to acknowledge Dame Malvina Major’s legacy.

Ms Pierard is an internationally recognised opera singer who returned to New Zealand from London to take up the position alongside her international career. She says she is thrilled to welcome the first group of students to TANZOS, and is grateful for the support of donors who have made the programme possible.

“We are extraordinarily grateful for the generosity of our donors, without whom the programme simply wouldn’t have happened. My thanks to these generous outfits who are funding the paces: the Dame Malvina Major Foundation, the Freemasons Foundation, the Sir William and Lady Judi Gallagher Foundation, Dame Jenny Gibbs, and others.

“We are also extremely fortunate to have additional support from Dame Adrienne Stewart and Ros Burdon of Christchurch to support a visit from British baritone Sir Simon Keenlyside, who will host a public masterclass with the students in April next year.”

Students will also receive guest tutoring from several other international experts, and take part in immersive industry residencies with Opera Australia, New Zealand Opera and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.

“This programme will truly provide a springboard for Aotearoa’s stunning young singers, and I look forward to working with Rhiannon, Alfred, Emmanuel, Taylor, Katherine and Cecilia as they prepare for careers on the world stage.”

Keep an eye on the TANZOS website and Facebook page for performance dates in 2023, and to stay updated on the progress of the students.


Latest stories

Related stories

Wairehu Grant at the University of Waikato after his music trip to Wales.

Māori Punk to Wales: strengthening international connections

A University of Waikato PhD researcher is sharing Māori punk with the world, and strengthening…

Catherine Chidgey Ockham Awards 2023

Chidgey axes the competition at The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards…again

Catherine Chidgey has been named winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction for…

Exploring and embracing diversity

Research at the University of Waikato is helping to underpin policy development and decisions designed…

Three generations of Dr Ritchies

Pioneering Psychology Professor leaves peaceful parenting legacy

The University of Waikato sadly acknowledges the passing of Emeritus Professor Jane Ritchie OBE, at…

Sargeson Prize winner praises prestigious award ahead of 2023 entries opening

Entries for the 2023 Sargeson Prize open on April 1, and last year's winner, Leeanne…

Bouncing unborn baby research between time zones secret to success

Bouncing work back and forth between time zones has allowed research into fetal development to…

Nathan Bailey, inaugural recipient of the Tauranga Moana Futures Scholarship

Scholarship enables inaugural recipient to contribute to the redevelopment of Tauranga City

University of Waikato first-year Bachelor of Engineering student Nathan Bailey is the inaugural recipient of…

A group of people stand outside the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts at the 50th anniversary celebrations for the School of Psychology postgraduate clinical and behavioural psychology diplomas.

Saving lives: Psychology programmes celebrate 50 years

More than 85 people gathered to celebrate the University of Waikato’s School of Psychology on…

Waikato alumnus awarded prestigious University Medal.

The University of Waikato has awarded its prestigious University of Waikato Medal to alumnus Rob…

Award-winning soprano and Waikato alumna is branching out into the world

With one of her recent achievements on home soil having been the runner up at…

Dr Tracey Slaughter is a senior lecturer at the University of Waikato

Feeling the burn: poetry for our times

Award-winning poet and University of Waikato senior lecturer Dr Tracey Slaughter has spent the last…

Should Artificial Intelligence make us reconceive what it means to be human?

Generative AIs are producing journalism, writing poems, and telling jokes. Sure, the op-eds, poetry, and…