Guest Artists

The choir is very fortunate to have the involvement of many talented performers who provide their time free of charge for the pleasure of our audiences.

	Katherine Foster Katherine Foster began singing at the age of 8 when she was one of the 80 girls selected to join the Adelaide Girls' Choir. She continued her choir career touring with Canberra Youth singers through Australia and Europe as principal soloist until the age of 18. Katherine then headed to Europe to follow her passion of studying lieder and art song. In 2000 she attended master classes at the Darmstadt New music festival and also participated in Master classes with the composers Heinz Holliger and Jenny Walshe. An avid actor, Katherine has appeared in “Superman Returns”, “Totally twisted”, “Home and Away”, “All Saints” and played the role of Sally in Samuel Barber’s “A Hand of Bridge”. Whilst studying in Scuola Leonardo da Vinci 2006 she appeared as a soloist for the Easter Schools Concerts Series. In 2010 Katherine was the gold medal winner in the Macdonald's performing art challenge Australian song competition where she performed with Sally Whitwell. In 2011 Katherine is taking part in Pacific Opera's Magic Flute and also recording a CD of Australian Art song with Sally Whitwell. Currently studying with Andrew Dalton, Katherine is a member of boutique vocal ensemble Haute Chorale with regular performances around Sydney.
	Laura Scandizzo Laura Scandizzo is a Dramatic Soprano, as well as a wife and mother of 2, from Arlington,TX currently residing and studying in Sydney. She attended Texas Wesleyan University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Vocal Performance in 2006. During her studies she received three scholarship awards, served as SAI Beta Kappa chapter’s President and has had the opportunity to sing multiple roles, including Suor Angelica for TCC. Her last 3 years in Sydney have been spent studying and competing in Eisteddfods. She is currently studying with Andrew Dalton, on staff at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and she also coaches with renowned vocal coach David Harper during his regular visits to Sydney. Laura’s most recent accomplishments include winning the Aria Championship at the Taree Eisteddfod in 2009 and 2010. In 2010 she also placed 3rd in the Shoalhaven Eisteddfod Opera Competition, 2nd in the Ryde Aria Championship and she performed the role of Leonora in Fidelio. In 2011 she will be producing and performing in multiple solo recitals featuring Australian art songs in Sydney and the USA.
	Harry Ward - Violinist Harry Ward was born in 1996 in Australia. He has always been extremely passionate about violin and commenced serious violin studies in 2006 with Professor Peter Zhang. Harry commenced travelling to perform in 2006 and has performed many concertos with orchestra in China, as well as soloist in Mexico, Sydney and Singapore. He will travel with the Department of Education’s Arts Unit as soloist in Europe in April this year, and later in 2011 will return to China to perform again under the baton of Professor Fu who also conducts the The Sinfonie Orchestra in Berlin. Harry has just been awarded a full scholarship to attend the renowned Meadowmount School of Music in New York in 2011. Harry has performed solo with orchestra numerous times with such pieces as the Vivaldi Concerto In A Minor for 2 Violins, Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1, Dvorak and Beethoven Romances, Tchaikovsky’s Meditation and Violin Concerto, Saint-Saen’s Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Mozart Concerto no 3 and Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy.
	Vivienne Powell Sydney-born mezzo-soprano Vivienne Powell has a wide performance background, ranging from drama, film and television to cabaret, music hall, operetta, oratorio, opera and recitals. She has sung with Opera Australia and featured as a soloist with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Engagements as a soloist in major orchestral works include Vivaldi's Gloria, Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem, Rossini's Stabat Mater, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder and Elgar's Sea Pictures, while operatic roles have included Carmen in Carmen, Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana and Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro. Vivienne has extensive experience as a concert and recital singer. Music critic Fred Blanks has twice nominated her in his top ten performances of the year. As well as opera, Vivienne has a particular interest in Lieder, French and Spanish songs. At present Vivienne freelances in recital and concert performances. As well as her classical singing, Vivienne greatly enjoys collaborating with jazz musicians and performing in jazz bands. She is also completing postgraduate studies in music performance.
	Sherrie Harris Sherrie Harris is a coloratura soprano and was a member of the Sydney Philharmonia Choir for 6 years before embarking on solo work. She studied with with the late Joan Allen, the late Lyell Austin and is currently studying with Frances Chambers. As a soloist Sherrie has performed in many recitals throughout the metropolitan area and recently performed a program of Handel and Scarlatti with trumpet and organ at All Saints Hunters Hill. Sherrie is now singing as a member of the Lyric 5 which consists of Soprano Alto Tenor and Bass. The group performs a large variety of music from baroque to modern day including musicals.
	Sophia Mitchell Mezzo-soprano Sophia Mitchell graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Bachelor and Post Graduate degrees. She studied the violin and viola before commencing training in classical singing at the age of 16. After receiving her Associate Diploma in singing at the age of 19, Sophia began singing with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, performing in London's Royal Albert Hall, Kings College Chapel, Cambridge, the Sydney Opera House and the City Recital Hall. Sophia has recently performed the lead roles of Josephine in HMS Pinafore (Gilbert and Sullivan), Miss Todd in The Old Maid and the Thief (Menotti) and Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde). Between 2008-09 she produced and performed in three concerts of opera and oratorio to raise funds for the work of Anglicare. In 2010 Sophia has recorded a short program for broadcast on 2MBS radio with harpsichordist Chris Berensen, thereafter performing a series of concerts entitled Handel You Haven’t Heard!. She recently performed the first in a concert series of Elizabethan lute songs with lutenist Andrew Byrne. Upcoming performances include the role of Berta in The Barber of Seville (Rossini) for Rockdale Opera, a position in the chorus in Hansel and Gretel (Humperdinck) for Pacific Opera.
	Jenny Bonner Soprano, Jennifer Bonner completed her Bachelor of Music in 2005 and Masters of Music (vocal pedagogy) in 2008 from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She is currently undertaking an Advanced Diploma of Opera at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music under the tutelage of Anke Hoeppner. During her studies, she has had the opportunity to work with renowned international artists and coaches including Yvonne Kenny, Phillipe Jaroussky, Philipe Langridge, Amelia Farrugia, David Harper, Simon Kenway and Nicole Dorigo. She is regularly engaged as a recitalist, performing for Sydney Opera Society, Ryde Music Club, Killara Music Club, Bay & Basin Music Club, Sydney Schubert Society and the Roseville Music Club. She has featured in 2MBS FM’s Emerging Young Artists Series and was engaged as a soloist for World Youth Day in 2008. She was recently the recipient of the Gladys-Colleridge and Helpmann scholarships. Operatic roles include Diana (Il ratto di Proserpina), The Son (Les Mamelles de Tirésias), Harry (Albert Herring), Flora (The Turn of the Screw), Asteria (Tamerlano ). In September 2010 she will perform the role of Anna in Die Lustigen Weiber von Windsor.
	Grace Edwards-Barnetson - Accompanist Born in Scotland, Grace graduated in piano and singing at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music. In Australia, Grace has actively followed a career in Melbourne and Sydney as Vocal Coach, repetiteur and singing teacher, and as an accompanist in vocal recitals. For the last 20 years Grace has been devoted to the teaching of singing at her private studio at Roseville, and, since 2002, has been the accompanist to the Ku-ring-gai Male Choir.
	Warren Fisher Graduating with a Music Education degree from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in 1995, Warren Fisher has been singing professionally since 1999. With Opera Australia, Warren has had over 20 roles and covers, and 35 operas in the chorus to his credit. A versatile tenor, Warren began his career singing Irish popular music with the Three Irish Tenors, and popular opera a few nights a week on a Sydney Harbour Cruise before joining Oz Opera to perform the title role in their 2005 NSW Schools tour of Sid the Serpent who wanted to sing. In 2009 Warren played the Sailor in Dido and Aeneas for OA, Elvino in Bellini’s La Sonnambula for Pacific Opera and both Dwight and God in Jerry Springer the Opera for the Sydney Opera House Trust. Warren’s Oratorio repertoire includes Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Mozart’s Requiem, Hodie by Vaughan Williams and Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, and most recently Verdi's Requiem performed with Canberra Symphony Orchestra.