BY SYLVIE WOODS, LEAD WRITER (NSW)
The winner of the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition this year is 25-year-old Zoe Drummond.
The Victorian soprano’s performances of Nel grave tormento from Mozart’s early opera Mitridate, re di Ponto, and Nanetta’s aria from Verdi’s well-loved Falstaff, secured her numerous honours and opportunities in the name of Marianne Mathy: a $30,000 cash prize to put towards a chosen area of musical study, an opportunity to sing for the Lyric of Opera of Chicago’s Ryan Opera Center, a portrait painting in concert dress by Lili Ussher, a recorded interview with historian Diana Ritch to be stored in the Oral History Collection of the National Library of Australia, and a limited-edition Drago Marin Cherina sculpture presented by the Music and Opera Singers Trust.
Zoe was also selected for the opportunity to perform with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra.
How much preparation went into this win?
Am I allowed to answer: about eight years’ worth? I have always looked up to and admired the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition, and I have auditioned every few years since I moved to Sydney in 2011, so I felt very comfortable in the whole process. I have been singing those particular pieces for quite some time as well.
Leading up to the competition, I aimed to practice wisely and thoroughly. I have also started practising yoga, so I aimed to connect every element.
There are so many incredible opportunities and prizes tied to your win. Is there a particular one of these you’re most excited about? (The portrait painting by Lili Ussher looks like a once-in-a-lifetime honour!)
Yes, the portrait opportunity is amazing. It is not something I would ever think to have done, so it feels like such a luxury! I am looking forward to seeing the final product. Lili Ussher is so talented.
I am very excited about the opportunity to sing for Lyric Opera of Chicago; what an opportunity! However, as a young singer, the cash component is just so valuable. It will make life in London (and beyond) a little easier!
Why did you choose the repertoire that you did?
I chose the arias that I did because they are exciting and I really love to sing them. Also, they are contrasting and show quite different singing and acting elements.
Most importantly, I chose them because I knew that I would be able to sing over the orchestration and there wouldn’t be a problem with balance.
How will this win impact your career in the short-term?
Apart from my boosted confidence, winning The Mathy at this time will allow me to make career decisions based on opportunity, not finances. I am excited to start looking into music and language summer schools for next year, flying to attend auditions, coaching with incredible musicians, and purchasing some beautiful new scores!
On a final note, are you aware that your Instagram post duetting with your spoodle Charlie is one of the greatest things to grace social media to date?
Haha! Oh, I love her so much. Sometimes I think the sound hurts her ears, but honestly every time I practice she comes running into the room to have a wail! Nice to have a practice companion, even if it does sometimes get competitive.
READ NEXT: We spoke with Georgia Melville and Tristan Entwistle before they battled it out for The Mathy.
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