A concert will be staged in Dubbo on Sunday to honour and assist a voice teacher and soprano of note.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Dawn Walsh has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and two former students are returning to the city to say “thank you” to her.
Dubbo College graduates, Billie Palin and Nathan Bryon, will be accompanied by pianist and musical director Di Pascoe at the St Andrew’s Chapel in Wingewarra Street from 2pm, with tickets to be sold at the door.
Dawn Walsh came to Dubbo after almost 40 years as a cast member of Opera Australia.
“We were so incredibly lucky to have Dawn move to Dubbo when she did,” Mr Bryon said. “She is well known in Sydney as having a powerhouse voice and a personality to match. She often covered Dame Joan Sutherland and American soprano Leona Mitchell, and her photo is still up on the Opera Australia green room wall for her years of service to the company.”
Mr Bryon is following in Ms Wash’s professional footsteps. He has been singing with Pacific Opera, the Apollo Opera Collective and Operantics while completing his degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.
Ms Palin is studying for a Bachelor of Music (Music Theatre) at the Australian Institute of Music, as well as trying her hand at musical direction, acting and cabaret work in Sydney.
She credits Ms Walsh for her “solid vocal technique”.“I have Dawn to thank for introducing me to the wonders of music and the voice and for helping to instill in me a passion for singing,” Ms Palin said. “With her guidance I was able to develop a strong classical technique which has made learning new genres so much easier for me. That ability is very important for music theatre.”
Ms Pascoe, now working at Dubbo College, had “some amazing times” with Ms Walsh at Macquarie Conservatorium. “I have been privileged to perform on stage with her many times and share the joy of helping her to develop the talents of many students during those years,” Ms Pascoe said. “Dawn brought a sophisticated class of music to Dubbo that did not exist here before and the likes of which will not be seen again. She is sincerely one of a kind.”