Pacific Opera Studio International Scholarship
In Memory of Taryn Fiebig

This award, generously funded by Loz Copley, honours the life and legacy of one of Australia's most beloved artists. 

This award provides an Alumni of Pacific Opera Studio the opportunity to receive a scholarship that is valued at $50,000. This scholarship will pay for them to travel to the UK where they will be profesionally enaged with  Diva Opera UK and perform a role with them. The scholarship will also fund them to take on a study plan and professional development while in the UK and Europe- while also paying for flights, visas and a small stipend for living expenses.

Diva Opera UK

Now in its 28th year, Diva Opera, Britain’s foremost chamber opera company, was founded by Anne Marabini Young and Bryan Evans to take opera out of the confines of the theatre and bring it to unique settings.

Since its inception, the company has earned an unrivalled reputation within the operatic world and beyond. Giving around 40 performances of full operas and concerts annually, they are now ambassadors for chamber opera internationally.

Highlights for the company include a performance of
La Cenerentola at La Fenice Opera House in Venice, The party scene from Die Fledermaus at the Royal Albert Hall, with José Carreras and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa as special guests and performances at the Tokyo International Forum for the prestigious French music festival La Folle Journée.

They recently returned from South Africa where they performed to Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Rigoletto to great acclaim. This year they will tour the UK, Channel Islands and France with Il Barbiere di Siviglia and a long awaited new production of La Traviata.

Productions for 2025 will include Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro.

Diva Opera - Learn More

The key impact of this award is that the winner will be paid to travel to the UK and perform a role as part of Diva Opera's 2025 tour and season. The winner as selected by the Australian Panel will enter into a professional contract with Diva Opera for their 2025 tour.

Pacific Opera Studio 
Pacific Opera Studio has an outstanding reputation for developing the next generation of Australian opera singers since 2009, playing a vital role in training our talented Young Artists and growing Australia’s cultural future.

With over 300 participants since its inception, Pacific Opera Studio has played a fundamental role in the professional growth of emerging opera singers working both in Australia and Internationally.

Pacific Opera Studio provides essential vocational training and performance experience that bridges the gap between tertiary education and achieving professional engagements with Opera companies in Australia, and development opportunities abroad.

Pacific Opera Studio is led by international opera singers and Co- Artistic Directors Peter Coleman-Wright AO, Cheryl Barker AO and Musical Director Bradley Gilchrist. In recent years the program has grown to include concerts, recitals, opera scenes, masterclasses with industry professionals and fully staged versions of opera favourites.

Our young artists are guided through the process of how to learn a role with a strong focus on sung lyric diction, musicality, character development and stagecraft skills by some of Australia’s finest singers and opera practitioners.

Pacific Opera Studio aims to give young artists multiple opportunities to develop their skills and grow their burgeoning careers. As a registered charity Pacific Opera Studio is solely reliant on donations to continue our vital work.

Pacific Opera Studio - Learn More

In addition to this opportunity Pacific Opera Studio will provide the winner with the opportunity to execute a study plan while in the UK. Pacific Opera Studio will also provide the flights, visa costs and a small stipend to support living costs to the winner while they are in the UK.



Taryn Fiebig & Loz Copley
The Scholarship has been made possible by Pacific Opera Studio Board member, Loz Copley. The Scholarship is to be awarded in memory of much loved and acclaimed Australian soprano, Taryn Fiebig, who died in March 2021 from ovarian cancer. Taryn was made aware of the scholarship before she died. This was her response……...

“I am so honoured and moved that you would set this up, and for something that I am so dedicated to...I am beyond moved and this gesture really makes my life seem worthwhile…Thankyou for allowing me to continue in the hearts and minds of young artists.”

The scholarship will be judged by a panel which will include Taryn’s husband, Jud Arthur, as well as Pacific Opera Studio Artistic Directors, Peter Coleman-Wright AO and Cheryl Barker AO.

Applicants
To apply for this award please read through the following pages of this application form carefully to ensure you meet all the relevant criteria.

Application Process and Criteria

1. Breakdown of funds
2. Application Process - Key Dates
3. Award Details
4. Application Requirements
5. Application
6. General Requirements 

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1. Breakdown of funds
a)$10,000 to be allocated to a study plan presented by the applicant
b) $10,000 to be allocated as support for living costs in the UK
c) $5,000 to be allocated for UK Visa Application Costs & Flights
d) The remainder of the scholarship will be used to allow the singer to be employed as a cast member of Diva Opera UK.

2. Application Process - Key Dates

Step 1 – Criteria
Please read the criteria and general requirements sections thoroughly to ensure you are eligible for this award.

Step 2 - Application
Complete this application form and submit your application by Midnight AEDT July 31st

Step 3 –  Video Adjudication
The Adjudicators will meet to review the video recordings and documentation in August 2024.

10 finalists will be selected from this process.

To be completed on August 16th 2024 5pm

Step 4 – Live Adjudication
The 10 finalists will be invited to perform live in Sydney for the Australian panel. This panel will consist of:

Peter Coleman-Wright AO & Cheryl Barker AO
Bradley Gilchrist
Jud Arthur
Lorraine Copley

The finalists will be narrowed down to 3 singers.

To be completed on the 8th September 2024

Step 5 - Diva Opera UK Audition
The video footage of the final 3 singers will be sent to Diva Opera in the UK on September 16th 2024 for a final casting decision to be made in consultation with the Australian Panel by 19th September 2024

The winner will be informed of the panel’s decision and be awarded the scholarship as outlined in item 1.

Winner to be announced on 20th September 2024

Step 6 - Diva Opera Season
The winner will enter into a contractual relationship with Diva Opera and travel to the UK for the commencement of rehearsals in London:

This will  be in either January 2025 (depending on confirmation of a tour to South Africa in Jan/Feb) with a gap until May.

OR

Rehearsals would commence in April 2025 with performances from May until mid September.

Details will be confirmed by Diva Opera late in 2024.

3. Award Details
Pacific Opera Studio is delighted to award the Taryn Fiebig Scholarship for 2024.

This award will enable a young Pacific Opera Studio Alumni to execute a study plan, travel to the UK and be paid to perform a role in Diva Opera’s 2025 season.

The scholarship will be awarded in September 2024 with the winner being required to be available in April - September 2025 to work with Diva Opera.

The winner must be capable of meeting the demands of a professional touring opera company. The total value of this award is $50,000 AUD which includes travel and living allowance, visa payment, fees to be paid to the artist as well as funds for a study plan.

The winner must be prepared to devote the whole period of the award to the objectives of the award.

General Regulations and Requirements
Age - All applicants must be aged 32 or younger at the end of 2024 to be considered

Pacific Opera Studio - All applicants must be alumni of Pacific Opera Studio having completed one full season of training with the company.

Voice Qualifications - Applicants must have a voice with outstanding operatic potential and musical & artistic aptitude.

Operatic Experience - Previous Operatic experience is required and should be demonstrated in the applicants CV.

References - All applicants will be required to provide two references who can support their application.

Availability -
The winner must be available to arrive in the UK to commence a contract with Diva Opera in early April*** 2025 and remain there until the end of the season.

Visa - 
The winner must be eligble to live and work in the UK or be eligble to receive a visa to do so. For more information visit: https://www.gov.uk/youth-mobility

Australian Performance Requirements -
In October 2025 the winner will be required to perform at a fundraiser in Sydney. Details will be provided. 

Professional Conduct -
The winner will be required to enter into a contract of employment with Diva Opera for their 2025 season. The winner is expected to comply with all the clauses and conditions of this contract with Diva Opera. Any failure to do so may result in funds from the Taryn Fiebig scholarship not being released or dismissal from their role with Diva Opera.

Recognition of Pacific Opera Studio -
The winner will be required to acknowledge the Taryn Fiebig Scholarship and Pacific Opera Studio in biographies, CVs and online material (websites, social media) ongoing.

Liaison -
Pacific Opera Studio will liaise with Diva Opera on behalf of the winner on all matters pertaining to the award until the winner arrives in the UK and joins Diva Opera. In the event of the winner being approached with professional engagements during their contracted period with Diva Opera, the winner must submit in writing a request with relevant details to Diva Opera and Pacific Opera Studios.  Diva UK and Pacific Opera studio will assess the request and inform the winner of the decision.

***Pending the announcement of Diva Opera's 2025 season in late 2024

4. APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

- You may submit one application only.

- Applications accepted via this jotform link only

- Please attach all relevant documents and videos via one entry form

- All documents must be attached as pdfs

- There is a payment of $50 due with the application in order to be considered. 

Video Recording

All Video Recordings can be submitted via a youtube link only.

Headshot

Please ensure you submit a headshot only (facing the camera) not a full body photograph. Black & White or Colour is accepted.

Withdrawal of Application

Once your application has been opened and confirmed, Pacific Opera Studio will be considering you for this award. If you wish to withdraw your application, please send a formal email indicating this.

NOTES TO APPLICANTS & WINNERS

Taxation Advice

Pacific Opera Studio does not provide income tax advice to recipients of Awards and is not in a position to discuss the individual affairs of any recipient with their tax advisers or the Australian Taxation Office.

Award recipients should seek their own independent taxation advice, taking into account their personal circumstances, in determining whether payments by Pacific Opera Studio constitute assessable income.

For any questions on this process please contact Pacific Opera Studio’s General Manager, Chris McNee.
e: generalmanager@pacificopera.com.au

5. Application
Applicants can apply via this online form

Documents and files to prepare for application
Applicants will be required to submit the following:
- A current professional CV
- A current headshot
- One video or multiple videos of three contrasting arias for the adjudicators to consider (via a youtube link)
- A comprehensive study plan to be made up of:
- A brief description of the applicants career goals
- An outline of the applicant’s proposed Study Plan.
- A budget of how they intend to use the funds allocated for their Study Plan outlined in item 1 (Budget Breakdown).
- Any other additional information that the applicant feels the panel should be made aware of.

- A scan of relevant identification to verify nationality and age (Passport, Citizenship Certificate, Drivers License).
- A payment of $50 will be required for the application to be considered
-2 references from industry professionals or equivalent

Applications must be made by Midnight AEDT on July 31st 2024.

6. General Regulations & Requirements

a) Applicants must have Australian Citizenship. They will be required to prove this by uploading a copy of the one (1) of the following documents:
Passport, Citizenship Certificate or Birth Certificate to be uploaded with application.

b)There are no limits on where the applicant may reside at the time of their application

c) Applicants must be be eligible for a UK Tier 4 Youth Mobility Visa. To support this they must upload one (1) of the following documents as part of their application:
Passport, Drivers License or Birth Certificate.

d)  Applications
Apply via the jotform link provided by the date indicated. Applicants will be sent a receipt confirming their applications.

e) Closing date for application - 31st July 2024
Exceptions for this closing date will only be granted in extraordinary circumstances at the discretion of Pacific Opera Studio.

f) Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted

g) Communication
All correspondence between the applicants and Pacific Opera Studio are to be via the General Manager’s work email.
e: generalmanager@pacificoperastudio.com
No correspondence will be entered into with agents, relatives, teachers or any other third party on the applicants behalf.

h) Only applications made via the provided jotform link will be accepted.

i) The Adjudication panel will be made up of Pacific Opera Studio staff and invited guests. Adjudicators will be announced at the discretion of Pacific Opera Studio.

j) Pacific Opera Studio has the right to withdraw the scholarship at its discretion.

k) The decision of the adjudication panel is final and binding. Pacific Opera Studio will enter into correspondence regarding the result at its own discretion.

l) The Taryn Fiebig Scholarship can only be won once by an individual. No repeat wins.

m) References must be dated and signed within 6 months of the application date of the scholarship.

n) Applicants must make themselves available for the live adjudication in Sydney on 15th September 2024. Details of venue and timings will be released to successful applicants.

o) Application Fees must be received for an applicant to be considered

p) Copies of music must be made available for Adjudicators (only if requested).

q) Video recordings of arias must be no older than six (6) months prior to application.

r) Pacific Opera Studio is not responsible for organising visas and does not advise on this matter

s) The Winner is required to acknowledge Pacific Opera Studio and The Taryn Fiebig Scholarship in ongoing biographies and CVs.

t) Members of Pacific Opera Studio staff or adjudicators on this scholarship are not to be approached for references or support for applications.

By applying for this Scholarship the Applicant confirms they have read, understood and agree to all of the terms outlined in this document.