Raised in the Waikato, Breony always had a love for the performing arts. As a homeschooler, she enjoyed lessons in ballet, clarinet, speech & drama, stagecraft and singing as extra curricular activities. Throughout her school years, she gained honours and distinction in all her music, speech and drama exams and won various vocal competitions, awards and scholarships throughout New Zealand. She has played the role of Cosette (adult) in the musical Les Miserables and Yum-Yum in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. During her tertiary studies, she took on the demanding lead role of Maria in The Sound of Music and received rave reviews.

 

Breony was the youngest ever to receive the Waikato Young Singer of the Year award and a scholarship and in the same year, her chamber group at the time, Alwyn Trio, received a second equal placing in the Waikato Regional National Secondary Schools Chamber Group Contest for their performance of Alwyn's Seascapes for voice, piano and recorder. Breony has performed at the Rock & Opera Concert in Pauanui to raise funds for the Westpac helicopters and was guest artist for the Lyrica Under the Stars concert at the Hamilton Gardens Summer Arts Festival. She was invited to sing as Soprano soloist with the Waikato Dutch Choir, Hamilton Cantando Choir, and in the performance of Rutter's Requiem by the Tauranga Civic Choir. Breony was also priviledged to be selected to attend a three day workshop with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Dame Malvina Major at Opera Factory in Auckland. In 2010, Breony gained her Associate of New Zealand Speech Board Teaching Diploma in Speech and Drama, received Distinction in her L.T.C.L Singing Diploma and obtained a Bachelor of Music from ATC Vision College, who awarded her with a scholarship towards her study for her high academic achievements. She was also nominated to compete at the national competition PACANZ (Performing Arts Competitions Association of New Zealand), and was awarded the Potential Prize out of twelve of the top young vocalists in New Zealand.

 

2011 brought many notable successes for Breony. She was a finalist in the Becroft Grand Opera Class,  won the Norah Howell Vocal Premier Award and Scholarship, received the second place scholarship in the Margot Lloyd Scholarship Competition and was selected as a finalist at the New Zealand Aria Grand Opera Competitions which enabled her to sing accompanied by the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra  - a highlight in her performing career. The same year, Breony completed a Bachelor of Music with First Class Honours from The University of Auckland and received a rare 97% for her final Honours Recital. She also received top marks for her research project, Tongue Tied: The Effects of Tongue Tension in Voice Production, and was invited to present her research to The University of Auckland Voice Class. From 2011-2012, Breony enjoyed being employed part time by the New Zealand Opera Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus, singing in their Auckland productions of Cav & Pag, Nabucco and The Bartered Bride.

 

Breony has since married and settled in the Waikato with her husband and three young children, running a Poultry and Highland Cattle stud - Old Mountain Fold. She has been teaching singing and speech and drama since 2008 and also teaches at various workshops, schools, and groups in Hamilton and Auckland. She loves passing on knowledge, experience, and inspiration and looks forward to helping you develop your voice.