The Music Teachers’ Association of NSW, Newcastle Committee, presents the 2025 Newcastle Hunter Art Music Scholarships for Voice.

Open to Vocal students residing in the Newcastle, Hunter, Upper Hunter, Central Coast, Mid-North Coast or New England Regions of NSW.

Junior Award - The Junior Scholarship is open to 12-15yrs up to Grade 4 AMEB level (or equivalent). Age is determined at the time of the Award performance. Entrants are expected to provide their own accompanist for works that include accompaniment.

Junior - Saturday 30 Aug 2.45 pm

Senior Award - The Senior Scholarship is open to 16-21yrs, Grade 5 AMEB level or above (or equivalent). Age is determined at the time of the Scholarship performance. Entrants are expected to provide their own accompanist for works that include accompaniment.

Senior - Saturday 30 Aug approximately 4.00 pm

Dr Christopher Allan
Chris is a singer, accompanist and choral conductor. Over his professional life he has sung with
Opera Australia, as a soloist with many choirs and as recitalist throughout Australia. He has
performed with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the
Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Antipodes. As a professional
chorister he appears regularly with the chamber choir Cantillation and appears on a number of
recordings with Pinchgut Opera.
During his 22 years at the Newcastle University Conservatorium Chris taught undergraduate and
post graduate students in one to one voice lessons, vocal techniques and chamber music, as well
as lecturing in Music History. His students have gone on to careers in classical performance,
music theatre and as voice teachers.
He is currently the Artistic Director of the Newcastle University Choir, conducting many of the
masterworks of the choral repertoire as well as innovative presentations in collaboration with Jazz,
Gospel and Operatic musicians.
He continues to perform and maintains a busy private studio. In 2011 he was awarded a PhD for
his research into vocal pedagogy centred around the training of young classical singers. Chris is
in demand as a presenter on vocal techniques for choristers - he has recently presented at the
Australian National Choral Association’s ‘Choralfest’ in Fremantle, WA, and a workshop on
changing boys voices for the Australian National Association of Teachers of Singing. In recent
years he has continued his interest in how we use our body when performing and completed
training as a Feldenkrais Practitioner.

Entries close: 23 August 2025

Award Regulations http://mtansw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Hunter-Art-Music-Vocal-Scholarships-2025.pdf