Helen Thomson – Soprano

Helen Thomson – Music Resume

Recent Activities

Currently enrolled in Sonology Course at the Koninklijk Conservatorium, the Hague
Continuing work as a professional singing and musicianship teacher
June 2003 completed Master of Music (Performance) at the University of Melbourne, specialising in Early and Contemporary music: full fee remission granted.
Principal Scholar of the Choir of Newman College under Gary Ekkel
Resident soloist in Past Echoes touring group
July 2003 toured to Canberra as the soprano soloist in the Monteverdi Vespers at the 50^th Intervarsity Choral Festival (audio example here)
Member of:	Q (a four voice vocal ensemble, toured to Tasmania November 2002 -- also facilitator)
	e21 (also treasurer), recently granted $15,000 project funding by the City of Melbourne
	Triptych, a 3 voice female ensemble (recording slated for 2004)
	The Palestrina Project

Selected Past Activities / Awards

2002	Completed course in Renaissance Gesture
	Assistant director, Lapse (new Music), Faculty of Music opera project
2001	Enrolled in Master of Music Studies, studying Vocal Performance / teaching, with a fee remission scholarship to the value of over $3500 per semester
	Finalist in the 2001 Faculty Chamber Music Competitions (with extracts from Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater and Audite Coelis (new music) by David Cassat)
	Soprano section leader, Geminiani Choir
	Soloist for: Early Voices, Schola Cantorum of Melbourne, the Variables (recording artist, Canberra-based group), Q vocal ensemble, the choir of Our Lady and St Cecilia (Canberra), the Ecclesia Dei society, the choir of St Peter’s Eastern Hill
2000	Began teaching singing, specialising in Early Music, part-time
	Resident Soprano Soloist for the Canberra Bach Ensemble
1998	Score of 96% in 5^th Grade Musicianship examination
	Gained diploma in vocal performance from AMEB
	Gained BA from Australian National University majoring in Philosophy and Modern European Languages
1996	Member of The Song Company
1995	Alliance Française Prize for French
1994	Alliance Française Prize for French
1992	Was offered Music Scholarship at Narrabundah College: declined due to other academic commitments
1991	1 Year's academic exchange to Germany

Demonstrated Abilities

Musical

Extremely good sightsinger

High standard of accuracy in atonal and arrhythmic works

Ability to learn, and often memorise, large amounts of information over a very short period

Good, and improving, improvisational skills

Constant awareness of the musical qualities of a piece rather than just its notes

Experience working as a soloist, in ensembles both chamber and vocal, and as the leader of a large group of singers

Experienced at recruiting for, directing, producing and publicising musical events

Music Technology

High level of general computer literacy

Comfortable both with Macintosh and PC; also comfortable with command-line interfaces as well as GUI

Have used such audio software packages as:

Audiomulch, Reason, Logic, ProTools, AbSynth, among others

Increasing familiarity with audio hardware (microphones, pre-amps, mixing desks, speakers)

Personal / interpersonal

Highly developed problem-solving skills

Experience in working:

as part of an extremely close-knit team,

with a Board

with one other individual over a lengthy period of time

efficiently with minimum supervision

Highly developed communication skills

Outstanding telephone manner

High level of self-discipline and adaptability

Knowledge of, and interest in, current events

Networking skills

Leadership: fairness, approachability, knowledgeability, motivational skills

Ready sense of humour

Willing to turn my hand or mind to anything

Linguistic

proficiency in French and Italian; native speaker proficiency in German

Academic

extensive research skills;

ability to analyse, summarise and critique a text;

experience in giving polished presentations with audio-visual materials including handouts, overheads, videos and

cassettes;

ease and demonstrated success in dealings with local and Federal Government bodies

Work history

May 1999 - (ongoing)	Self employed as singing teacher and freelance musician
January 2001 - May 2002	Accountant, Royal Oak Hotel, Richmond
January - December 2000	Bookkeeper / office assistant, Cougar Computers Canberra
February 1998 - May 1999	Office manager and bookkeeper, Women’s Electoral Lobby (Australia) Inc
December 1998 - February 1998	Independent contractor for Cutco Inc, an international marketing company
February -May 1997:	Conductor of Catena Cantorum (Chain of Singers), a small Early Music choir forming part of Gaudeamus, a community music organisation
December 1995 to March 1996:	First soprano, The Song Company, Australia’s only professional vocal ensemble
November 1993 to February 1994:	Marketing consultant, Fink International Pty Ltd

Education

2001-2003: University of Melbourne	Transferred from -fee-paying place in Master of Music Studies with a half-scholarship, to a place in Master of Music with full fee remission granted. Masters Degree awarded in August 2003. For full results, please contact me
1994-: The Australian National University	Completed the Bachelor of Arts degree at the end of 1997 Invited to complete Honours in Philosophy; declined due to illness Winner of the Alliance Française Prize for French in 1994 and 1995 For full results, please contact me
1992-93: Narrabundah College	Tertiary Entrance Ranking: 97.65 Subjects:
	Mathematics	Double major
	German	Major
	English	Major
	Chemistry	Major
	Physics	Minor
	Declined Music scholarship in 1992 due to other academic commitments Book Prize for excellence in Advanced German in 1993
1991	One year academic exchange to Germany
1987-90: Melrose High School	Meredith award for academic excellence First prize in the Goethe competition for German in 1989; second prize in 1990 Westpac Maths competition prize in 1989