House debates

Tuesday, 18 October 2016

Statements by Members

Kent, Mr Alasdair

1:54 pm

Photo of Matt KeoghMatt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am very proud to rise to congratulate Western Australian Alasdair Kent on taking out the 2016 Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge Bel Canto Award, one of the country's most prestigious competitions for young Australian singers.

In Dame Joan's 90th birthday anniversary year, a record 74 entrants competed in the sixth annual Bel Canto Award, with auditions held in Sydney, London, Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne, New York and Vienna. Alasdair won the prestigious $50,000 first prize from a field of six finalists, and secured his place at the Georg Solti Accademia di Bel Canto summer school in Tuscany for 2017, as well as a performance opportunity with Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.

The award adds to an impressive pool of prizes for 29-year-old Alasdair, including in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the Guilio Gari Foundation International Vocal Competition. Alasdair's family hails from my electorate of Burt. He studied a Bachelor of Music at the WA Academy of Performing Arts, before heading to the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia to take up a residency. Congratulations once again to Alasdair, and good luck at the 2017 Paris Opera Competition.

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