Australian Singing Competition


The Australian Singing Competition evolved from the Marianne Mathy Scholarship, established in 1982 through a bequest made in the will of Marianne Mathy-Frisdane, a coloratura soprano opera singer and distinguished teacher of opera and classical singing.
The ASC rules and repertoire requirements are designed for young opera and classical singers, under 26 years of age. The competition is now recognised as one of the longest-running events of its kind, offering a range of scholarships, prizes, career and network opportunities, which also make the competition one of the richest in terms of financial and career opportunities available to recipients. Since 1982 the premier award of the competition has been the Marianne Mathy Scholarship, known by its participants and within its industry as "The Mathy".
Since 1998 the final concert of the competition has taken place in various capital cities around Australia, featuring many prominent conductors and some of Australia's leading orchestras.
The competition has had the patronage of several Governor-Generals of Australia, most recently The Honourable Quentin Bryce AC. In 2014 the ASC formally welcomed Haruhisa Handa as patron of the re-named IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition in recognition of his ongoing sponsorship and support, both personally and as chairman of the International Foundation for Arts and Culture.
The winner of the Opera Awards is acknowledged and invited to perform as a guest artist at the finals concert of the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition.

Marianne Mathy Scholarship winners ("The Mathy")

YearScholarship winnersCategoryNational adjudicator
1982Nicola WaitesopranoStefan Haag
1983Jeffrey BlackbaritoneStefan Haag
1984Miriam GormleysopranoNance Grant
1985David LemkebaritoneDouglas Craig
1986Fiona JanessopranoJenifer Eddy
1987Paul WhelanbassElizabeth Fretwell
1988Joanna ColesopranoRonald Maconaghie / Margreta Elkins
1989Clare GormleysopranoMargreta Elkins
1990Christina Wilsonmezzo-sopranoJoseph Ward
1991Stuart SkeltontenorLoh Siew-Tuan
1992Jason Barry-SmithbaritoneJoseph Ward
1993Amelia FarrugiasopranoMyer Fredman
1994David QuahtenorJoseph Ward
1995Natalie ChristiesopranoSharolyn Kimmorley
1996Rebecca NashsopranoPatricia Price
1997Alexandra ShermansopranoEileen Hannan
1998Goknur ShanalsopranoGeoffrey Chard
1999Janette ZiliolisopranoPatricia Price
2000Rachelle DurkinsopranoJoseph Ward
2001Rejielle PaulosopranoRobert Gard
2002Katharine Tiermezzo-sopranoGregory Yurisich
2003Jessica PrattsopranoMarilyn Richardson
2004Emma PearsonsopranoGlenys Fowles
2005Anita WatsonsopranoGlenn Winslade
2006Duncan RockbaritoneFiona Janes
2007Emily BlanchsopranoAnson Austin
2008Sitiveni TaleibaritoneDeborah Riedel
2009Sam Roberts-SmithbaritoneDonald Shanks
2010Rachel BatesopranoLisa Gasteen
2011Emma MooresopranoBernadette Cullen
2012Anna Dowsleymezzo-sopranoJeffrey Black
2013Jade MoffatsopranoEmma Matthews
2014Isabella MooresopranoJeffrey Black
2015Maximilian RieblcountertenorLinnhe Robertson
2016Nicholas TolputcountertenorLyndon Terracini
2017Filipe ManutenorCatrin Johnsson
2018Zoe DrummondsopranoLinnhe Robertson
2019Manase LatutenorNoëmi Nadelmann

The IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition is managed by Music & Opera Singers Trust Limited.