23 year old baritone Duncan Rock is a graduate of the
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) where he completed
the Advanced Diploma of Performing Arts course while concurrently
studying a Law Degree at the University of Western Australia.
In September 2007 Duncan took up a scholarship position at
the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London to complete his
Post-Graduate Diploma in Vocal Studies under the direction of Rudolph
Piernay.
As the winner of the 2006 Australian Singing Competition
Duncan was awarded both the prestigious Marianne Mathy Scholarship and
the Symphony Australia Young Vocalist Award.
He has been the recipient of a vast and diverse array of
other scholarships and awards including the Michelle Robinson
Scholarship for most outstanding vocalist at WAAPA (2004), the Ralph
Thompson Scholarship from the WA Lieder Society (2005), the Royal
Schools Music Club Anniversary Scholarship (2006) as well as grants from
the Australia Council and the Phonographic Performance Company of
Australia. He was also the winner of the Fremantle Operatic Aria and
North of Perth Eisteddfod (2005).
In 2007 Duncan was honoured to be named the Western
Australian Youth Citizen of the Year for his contribution to the Arts in
WA.
The 2006 Emerging Artist for the West Australian Opera
Duncan has been involved with the company as a soloist and chorus member
in numerous productions including: La Traviata (Verdi), The
Magic Flute (Mozart), Carmen (Bizet), Nabucco
(Verdi), Tristan und Isolde (Wagner), Candide (Bernstein)
and the world premiere of Mills’ The Love of the Nightingale. He
has also been part of the inaugural Young Artists Concert series (2007)
performing portions of the roles of Marcello (La Bohème),
Papageno (The Magic Flute) and the title role in Don
Giovanni. Roles for WA Opera have included Jupiter in Offenbach’s
Orpheus in the Underworld and Count Ceprano in Rigoletto.
At WAAPA he has performed the title role in Mozart’s The
Marriage of Figaro, the Usher in Trial by Jury (Gilbert &
Sullivan) and Lord Dummow in A Dinner Engagement
(Berkeley) as well as Achior in the La Betulia Liberata
(Mozart) and Jimmy in Das kleine Mahagonny (Weil) for UWA Music.
He has also been featured in opera scene productions in the roles of
Lord Mountararat (Iolanthe), Don Magnifico (La Cenerentola)
Leporello (Don Giovanni), Count Almaviva (Marriage of Figaro),
Gugliemo (Così
fan tutte),
Doctor Dulcamara (Elisir d’Amore), Escamillo (Carmen), Top
(A Tender Land), Bottom (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Mr
Olsen (Street Scene) and Porgy (Porgy and Bess) as
well as the title roles in The Marriage of Figaro and Eugene
Onegin.
In 2006 Duncan attended the Ronald Dowd Summer school for
singers run by Victor Morris (former head of the English National Opera)
and performed the roles of Tonio (I Pagliacci), Colline (La
Bohème)
and Leporello (Don Giovanni) in the final opera scenes concert.
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