Finalists Announced for Lexus Song Quest

MEDIA RELEASE: Thursday 26 March

Finalists Announced for Lexus Song Quest

The six finalists for the prestigious singing competition Lexus Song Quest 2009 have today been announced.

The finalists are: Wade Kernot, Julia Booth, Aivale Cole, Kristen Darragh, Andrew Glover and Polly Ott.

London-based Wade Kernot and Perth-based Aivale Cole were both finalists in the 2007 Lexus Song Quest with Wade placing second. Andrew (London-based), Kirsten (Auckland) and Julia (Hamilton) have been PriceWaterhouse Coopers Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artists with the NBR New Zealand Opera. Polly (Christchurch) is completing her Honours year for her BMus in Performance Voice at Canterbury University under Dame Malvina Major.

“We are thrilled at the calibre of the finalists for the 2009 Lexus Song Quest and it is certainly going to be an exciting contest,” says New Zealand International Arts Festival chief executive Sue Paterson.

The finalists now enter a gruelling four weeks of preparation before the final concert on Thursday 23 April at the Auckland Town Hall. During the lead-up to the final, the finalists will work with international judge Siegfried Jerusalem and rehearse with pianist Terence Dennis and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Lloyd.

Following the final concert, the three prizewinners will accompany Siegfried Jerusalem on a Recital Tour around the country while he takes Lexus Masterclasses. Recitals will be held in Christchurch (26 April), Dunedin (28 April) and Wellington (30 April). This Lexus Song Quest Recital Tour is an opportunity for audiences around the country to hear these promising young singers at the start of their career.

Formerly known as the Mobil Song Quest, the biennial Lexus Song Quest is the most prestigious singing competition in New Zealand and is committed to the development of talented young New Zealand singers with the three prizewinners receiving cash prizes and Lexus Study Scholarships worth $53,000 and the remaining finalists each receiving $3,500.

Previous winners have included Dames Malvina Major and Kiri Te Kanawa, and in more recent years, Teddy Tahu Rhodes, Jonathan Lemalu and Anna Leese who are carving out successful international careers.

The Lexus Song Quest is an initiative of the New Zealand International Arts Festival.

www.nzfestival.co.nz

The Lexus Song Quest Final takes place on Thursday 23 April at Auckland Town Hall, THE EDGE. Book tickets on 0800 BUY TICKETS or www.buytickets.co.nz

ENDS

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