Whangarei soprano, Sophie Sparrow completed a Bachelor of Music with first class honors in Classical Voice Performance in 2014, and a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting in June 2016 from the University of Otago. She also attained ATCL with Distinction from Trinity College London in 2009, and is an alumnus of the New Zealand Opera School and IFAC Handa NZ Singing School.  Sophie is currently training with Frances Wilson at the Auckland Opera Studio.

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This year Sophie attended the new Dame Malvina Major Foundation Opera Studies programme, in association with New Zealand Opera, training with coaches from New Zealand and Australia. Some of her recent performances include soloist for the Auckland Youth Orchestra in their Baroque Concert Series performing at four venues throughout Auckland, a member of New Zealand Opera Company Freemasons Chorus for the Auckland production of Carmen, singing alongside Kawiti Waetford at this year’s Opera North - Opera in the Garden in Whangarei, and is regularly singing at private functions around Auckland. This year Sophie placed 3rd in the Christchurch DMMF Aria competition, and runner up in Norah Howell Charitable Trust Premier Award at the Hamilton Singing Competition.

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In 2016, Sophie was selected as one of 10 Lexus Song Quest Semifinalists and worked with Yvonne Kenny, Terence Dennis and Catherine Norton in an intense one-week workshop in Wellington in July leading up to the nationally broadcast semifinal concert. She was the Runner up in the 2016 Wellington Dame Malvina Major Foundation Aria Competition, third placed in the National Young Performer Awards, and a Dunedin DMMF Aria finalists. Sophie was awarded runner up in the 2015 Dunedin Dame Malvina Major Foundation Aria Competition, and was the recipient of the 2014 Dunedin Music Society Award for Excellence in Vocal Performance and 2010 Opera North Scholarship.

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Sophie has performed operatic roles of “Pamina” in Opera Otago’s The Magic Flute 2015 and the University of Otago adaptions of The Magic Flute 2014, and “Barbarina” in Opera Otago’s The Marriage of Figaro 2012. Whilst in Whangarei, Sophie was a regular member of Opera North, performing in their annual Opera in the Garden from 2007 – 2010 and various other Opera North events as a soloist and in ensembles, while she trained with the renowned Joan Kennaway. She has also performed musical theatre roles of “Gabriella” in Sweet Pea Production’s High School Musical, “Aida” in Whangarei Theatre Company’s CATS, and “Candy” in Whangarei Theatre Company’s Buddy Holly: The Buddy Holly Story.  As well as theatre, Sophie trained in American Jazz and Contemporary Dance with SMAC studio for 6 years performing for the likes of Tiki Tane, at the New Zealand Body Building Competition, and were the guest group at the prestigious Alana Haines Australasian Awards.

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Some of Sophie’s upcoming events include guest artist for Opera North’s annual Opera in the Garden on 10th March 2018 in Whangarei, and soprano soloist for the Teapot Valley New Zealand Combined Choir and Orchestra performance of Mozart’s Mass in C conducted by Ebbe Munk in January.

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Sophie plans to further her classical training in masters program and will be auditioning November and December 2017 for colleges in the UK.