EDWARD LAURENSON is a 25 year old baritone about to embark on an exciting career. In August 2013 he was the only New Zealand finalist in the prestigious IFAC Australian Singing Competition in Sydney. Foremost among the prizes he won for gaining second place was a scholarship for a year of study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, which he will take up in September 2014.

Having been nominated three times as Most Promising Singer at the North Shore Competitions, in October 2012 Edward won the vocal section of the PACANZ National Young Performer Awards in Invercargill.

Edward enjoys singing both music theatre and opera: In March 2013 he received rave reviews for his role in sold-out performances of The Factory at Auckland’s Q Theatre as part of the Auckland Festival. At the end of 2013 Edward sang to over 200,000 people in the Auckland Domain at the Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park. 

This year Edward won the Becroft Grand Opera Aria at the North Shore Competitions and was named the recipient of the Circle 100 Scholarship. He was recently a finalist in the 2014 Lexus Song Quest. 

This evening has been organized as a fundraiser for Edward, to help raise money to help cover his living and accommodation costs whilst he is in London.

The evening will be a great display of musical talent from some of Edward’s closest friends. With performances by: James Doy and the National Youth Theatre Company; Rebekkah Schoonbeek-Berridge and members of the Fusion Dance Studio; Emma Sloman, a truly sensational operatic soprano, accompanied by one of New Zealand’s most accomplished musicians, Rosemary Barnes, who will also be accompanying Edward throughout the evening… and more!