Ingrid Davidson

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Ingrid Davidson was born in Devon, England in 1929.  At the age of eight, her family relocated to Dumbartonshire, Scotland, and it was here that she began music lessons, studying piano with Mr Hadlow Myer, a highly regarded teacher.

 

In 1943 Ingrid’s father was transferred to Australia on Admiralty work and the family moved first to Adelaide and then to Lithgow. By the age of 14, Ingrid was already a competent pianist and singer and had her first experience of broadcasting, playing and singing on Radio 2LT, at the age of 16.

 

On returning to the UK, Ingrid commenced studying voice under Julian Gardiner at the Athenaeum in Glasgow (now the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) with piano as her second instrument. It was here that she had the opportunity to meet and perform with many internationally renowned artists, including Walter Susskind, then music director of the Scottish National Orchestra.

 

With no ambition to follow a musical career, Ingrid instead put her energy into a number of business ventures. She rarely performed in public, except in her local church choir, so only her close friends and family had the opportunity to experience her remarkable dramatic mezzo soprano voice. After emigrating to Australia in 1972, she undertook a lengthy search for a suitable piano for her new home. She finally found the Richard Lipp in the workshop of John Ellison’s North Shore Pianos and it became her favourite.

 

To celebrate Ingrid’s lifelong passion for music, her family has generously donated use of the Richard Lipp Piano to the winner of the Ingrid Davidson Award.