Singer Samuel Downes wins scholarship at San Francisco Music Conservatory

Baritone Samuel Downes heads to San Francisco. Photo / NZ Opera School

Young Auckland baritone Samuel Downes is the latest success story from the New Zealand Opera School.

With a new scholarship of $20,000 for each of two years granted recently by the Freemasons Foundation, which has supported the school since 2009, Samuel was able to take up a placement at the San Francisco Music Conservatory.

His winning appointment to study with renowned voice coach César Ulloa was a dream come true for Samuel who has been a student at the school for the past four years.

When he was first notified that he had been accepted Samuel was in a dilemma of how to fund this vital overseas study.

He called school director and chairman Donald Trott asking how he could get some help.

Within weeks of being contacted by Donald, the Freemasons Foundation set up the new scholarship making Samuel the first recipient for 2023.

Freemasons Foundation chairman Mark Winger says the Freemasons were delighted to extend their support to talented young New Zealand opera singers.

"Providing this grant supplements the outstanding work performed by the New Zealand Opera School."

Samuel, who has a Bachelor of Music with Honours, has performed with the New Zealand Youth Choir and the Auckland Youth Choir as well as small operatic roles and with the New Zealand Opera's Freemasons Opera Chorus.

César Ulloa, who has taught at the opera school, is an internationally recognised teacher whose students perform regularly at major operatic and concert stages of the world. He is chair of Voice at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he received in 2014 the Sarlo Family Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Both acclaimed tenors Pene and Amitai Pati (Sole Mio) studied with César and are now singing regularly on the world's opera stages.

As he was about to fly out from Auckland Airport a week ago Samuel sent a video message to Donald thanking him for helping to make his dream come true.

And this year 60 young singers from throughout New Zealand have applied for a place at the 2023 school at Whanganui Collegiate School in January.

"This is the largest group of applicants we have ever had for the 21 places," says Donald.