Vivien Hamilton

Scottish born Vivien Hamilton (Soprano) has been on the vocal staff at the Faculty of Music at The University of Melbourne since the early 1990’s and pursues a dual career as committed educator and freelance performer.  Vivien currently lectures and tutors for the Bachelor of Music/Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music degree programs in the areas of vocal performance, vocal pedagogy, ensemble studies (Vivien is the director of Early Voices, a group of 16-20 students specializing in early music performance, at the Early Music Studio) and teaching pedagogy.  Vivien regularly takes vocal masterclasses in other Universities and schools in Australia and abroad.

In London Vivien furthered her studies as both solo singer in the performance of art song, stage craft (Kent Opera, New Sadlers Wells Opera, The London Savoyards, English Baroque Opera), contemporary chamber music (BBC Singers) and early music vocal ensemble experience (The Hilliard Ensemble).  Back in Australia Vivien returned to her studies into Baroque music at The University of Melbourne and settled into a performance career which continues to be multi-faceted - Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Romantic and contemporary music ranging from solo art song recitals, theatre and opera, oratorio to vocal ensemble projects (both early music and contemporary repertoire).

In November 2008 Vivien sang for the Academy of Humanities at the Sydney Opera House in a recital of songs by Gounod and Madame de Grandval, accompanied by Ian Munro and the Australia Ensemble.  Also Vivien performed the World First performance of “The Labyrinth of Crete” by Hartley Newnham, a song-cycle based on the poems of Australian poet Dorothy Porter.

Vivien teaches at the Early Music Studio at The University of Melbourne and is the director of the Early Voices vocal ensemble - a group of between 16 and 20 auditioned students from the Bachelor of Music performance stream.