Margaret Baker Genovesi Travel Scholarship

Support to continue studies abroad

This scholarship, which is awarded through competition, supports a classical voice student with intent to study French, Italian or German abroad as these languages pertain to opera and classical voice.

Key points

Targeted to

Classical voice students

Value

$50,000

Apply by

4pm Wednesday 1 May 2024

Competition details

To be eligible, you must:

be a classical voice student or alumnus of the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University
be in a graduating year of study, or be an alumnus being no more than 18 months graduated from the date of applications opening (the graduating year of study may encompass third or fourth-year of a Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Music Performance, or the final year of an honours, postgraduate or masters study).
be 27 years of age or less at the date the applications open
be an Australian citizen
have intent to study French, Italian or German abroad in the European continent, as it pertains to opera and classical voice, and seek vocal tuition in the European continent or the UK or North America
not hold any other Griffith University academic scholarship that serves the same core purpose.

Any one person may only receive this scholarship once. Previous winners may not apply.

Submit a completed application form, following submission details on the form:

Margaret Baker Genovesi Travel Scholarship application form 2024

Selection process

The recipient will be chosen based on their performance, interview and written application. Adjudicators are to consider the recipient’s overall excellence and ability to meet the expectations of professional life.
Applicants must complete an application form including a postgraduate study and career plan, a budget for overseas study and details of other available funding, as well as GPA, performance marks and references.
The applicant’s travel plan must demonstrate a structured plan to extended language study in the principal languages of Italian, German and French. The applicant may present a language to ‘major’ in during this time, but study in at least two of the listed languages is recommended.

For full details of the selection process, refer to the application form.

The recipient must commence travel within 12 months of being awarded the scholarship.
A financial schedule will be established for the recipient to ensure the monies are provided to the recipient throughout the year in reasonable allotments.
Upon approval of the Director of the Queensland Conservatorium, the recipient may defer acceptance of the scholarship due to extenuating circumstances may they be medical or force majeure. Where medical, these may be substantiated by a medical certificate. Deferral must not exceed 12 months. Thereafter, any outstanding award monies will be forfeited and reinvested in the endowment.
If there is no worthy recipient in any given scholarship year, the scholarship monies will be re-invested in the endowment.
The competition must be completed and awarded by 31 December of each biennial year. The Queensland Conservatorium can decide the timing of the competition within the allotted schedule.

The scholarship is awarded through competition. The value of the scholarship is $50,000.

The scholarship will be offered from 2024 on a biennial schedule, in the opposite year to the vocal years of the Joyce Campbell Lloyd Scholarship (overseas study).

Sponsor details

Music, languages and travel played a central role in the career of Margaret Baker Genovesi.

Margaret Baker Genovesi began her career in Brisbane whilst still a teenager and made her operatic début at the age of 20 in the role of Violetta in La Traviata for the Queensland National Opera. After winning scholarships in Italy to the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Rome, and the Accademia Chigiana, Siena, she continued her studies in Germany, eventually settling in Rome, from where she pursued an international career as singer and later teacher.

Her vast operatic and concert repertoire covered four centuries of European music, from the Baroque era to the twentieth century. Her European debut was in the role of Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro (Rome); there followed by leading roles at La Scala, Milan; Theater an der Wien, Vienna; Teatro all Cometa, Rome; the Victoria State Opera, Melbourne; Festival Hall, London; Tonhalle, Zürich; Suisse Romande, Lausanne; the Festivals of Vienna, Salzburg, Moscow, Brno, Spoleto; concert tours through Europe, Asia and the Middle East; and recitals for Europe's principal Radio-TV networks.

She performed and recorded with distinguished conductors such as Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Peter Maag, Sir Charles Mackerras, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Sir David Willcocks, to name only the most renowned.

As a proud Queenslander, Margaret’s final wishes were to establish The Margaret Baker Genovesi Travel Scholarship, “to support young Queensland operatic talent from the Queensland Conservatorium to grow from excellent to exceptional by providing them with the opportunity to travel, to learn and absorb European languages, and seek out international vocal tuition of the highest standard.”

Closed heats

To be held 3pm Saturday 11 May 2024 in the QCGU Opera Space.

Public final

To be held 4pm Sunday 19 May 2024 in the Conservatorium Theatre.