A man known for his powerful and deep sound, Taylor Wallbank, has been named as the winner of the 2023 Emerging Practitioner Award at the University of Waikato. Wallbank is one of seven talented students chosen by the Acorn Foundation and the FAME Trust to receive a $10,000 award. He was picked from top-performing arts schools in New Zealand.
Wallbank started his singing journey with a youth opera initiative called Project Prima Volta in Hawke’s Bay. This experience greatly influenced his life and even led him to teach and mentor other students in the project. Despite coming from a low-income background, which made training for a music career difficult, Wallbank is committed to breaking the stereotype that only the wealthy can pursue a career in opera. He aims to inspire children from similar backgrounds to believe that they can achieve their goals with the right mindset and support.
Wallbank recently completed a double Masters in Vocal Performance and Advanced Opera Studies under the guidance of Kristin Darragh, the Director of Vocal Performance. He was also part of the Te Pae Kōkako – The Aotearoa New Zealand Opera Studio at The University of Waikato, where he was one of the first artists on the programme. In addition, Wallbank holds a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours and a Master of Music in Classical Singing from the same university.
Wallbank is also part of the New Zealand Opera Artists Development Programme and has undergone advanced vocal coaching, language coaching, and stagecraft training. Both programs are highly competitive with only five to six spots available for singers across New Zealand. During his time in these programs, Wallbank has won multiple competitions across the country.
As a soloist, Wallbank has gained extensive experience and has been involved in several productions. Most recently, he toured with the New Zealand Opera in their production of m(O)rpheus (2023) with an all-Pacific cast.
Madeleine Pierard, the Dame Malvina Major Chair in Opera at The University of Waikato, praised Wallbank for his dedication, hard work, and passion.
Wallbank is extremely grateful for the award, which will enable him to study overseas and pursue his dreams without financial pressure. He plans to audition for The Curtis Institute in Philadelphia, USA, a prestigious music school known for its high success rate in international careers. Wallbank said he was excited about his future now that he has the support of the Acorn Trust and FAME Award.
