Representing Australia, JSS Grant recipient, mezzo soprano Helen Sherman is one of twenty singers chosen for this year’s BBC Cardiff Singer of the World. 600 singers auditioned in 45 cities from 36 countries across 5 continents for a place. The competition will take place between 12-19 June with this year’s audience prize being renamed the Dame Joan Sutherland Audience Prize and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa replacing Dame Joan as Patron of the competition.

 In the last few months Helen has seen tours of the UK and Ireland as well as recitals in the UK and auditions in London, Munich and Paris. In February she was selected as one of two singers by the Music Council of Australia, to represent Australia for the European Broadcasting Union New Talent Competition. If successful in being selected to the next round Helen will travel to Bratislava for the semi-finals later this year. Coming up Helen has the Kathleen Ferrier Prize with Dave Smith, the Wigmore Hall Song Prize with Sam Armstrong, a recital with James Baillieu for the City of London Festival, the Wesendonk Lieder with the Liverpool Mozart Orchestra and a performance of Janacek's "Diary of one who disappeared" at the Cheltenham Festival.

About her nomination she says, “I can only sincerely thank those who nominated me and say that I am utterly thrilled and humbled to have been selected. When I received the phone call saying I had been selected, it is one of the few times in my life I have been utterly speechless. In the meantime, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of June, not just for the excitement of Cardiff, I am also thrilled that the team from the Young Concert Artists Trust in London (who have been my rock since I signed with them in 2009) will be in Cardiff for the competition. I have to say I feel that my selection for Cardiff is a culmination of the faith, support and generosity”.

Helen’s parents and teacher Dr Rowena Cowley will also be joining her in Cardiff.

The Society was recently in contact with Ms June Dally-Watkins who has arranged for the Australian designer Charlie Brown to provide a dress for Helen for the competition.

Here is the official press release from Cardiff for this year’s competition.