Siobhan Stagg wins Stuart Burrows International Voice Award

Siobhan is currently in Wales where she has been working towards her second masters degree. Experiencing lessons, coaching and master classes, she has been training hard to refine her talents.

‘It's great to be so close to Europe where there's so much artistic inspiration on offer,' Siobhan said of her time abroad.

'I was given a great start from my teachers in Australia, which I'm consolidating further over here.'

Siobhan has come a long way from Mildura and Melbourne where she spent her earlier years, having performed on stages around the world and in international music festivals such as the Salzburg Festival and the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Siobhan is scheduled to sing in over 40 performances in 10 different roles over the coming season.

‘I certainly have my work cut out for me, I still often pinch myself that this is happening,’ she said.

‘Sometimes just getting the audition is the hardest thing in a country where no one knows your name. Like any career, networking and business strategy are important factors to complement the incessant practice and hard work.'

Siobhan has always loved music. However only when she attended a University open day in her final school year did she decide to swap her plans of studying medicine for a degree in music/arts.

‘At first, pursuing a performance career seemed daunting as it can be such a fickle industry, but I came to realise that the options are endless if you're creative and willing to work hard,' said Siobhan.

‘While it is indeed a privilege to make music as a living, in the end it's still a job with its ups and downs like anything else, so it's important to be in it for the right reasons.

‘I think most career goals require the same ingredients: hard work, some talent, ambition, perseverance and a strong network of supportive people. No one ever makes it alone.'

Siobhan’s career is likely to see her remain in Europe over the next few years.

‘Europe is a wonderfully exciting hive of culture, but there really is no place like home,’ she said.