Malvina Major

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Malvina Major

Background information
Origin	Hamilton, New Zealand
Genre(s)	Opera

Dame Malvina Major DBE (b. 28 January 1943), was born in Hamilton, New Zealand into a large musical family. As a child she performed at various concerts, singing mainly country and western pop and music from the shows. She received her first classical training in 1955, from Sister Mary Magdalen at Ngaruawahia, north of Hamilton. Sister Febronie continued with her voice training and Sister Liguori gave her piano tuition. As her potential blossomed, Major began travelling weekly to Ponsonby in Auckland, where she received further tuition from Dame Sister Mary Leo at St Mary's College Music School. Sister Mary Leo was internationally recognised as one of the great music teachers, and she later taught another famous New Zealand soprano, Kiri Te Kanawa.

Major later moved to England for further study at the London Opera Centre under the guidance of renowned teacher Ruth Packer.

Her successes include winning the New Zealand Mobil Song Quest in 1963 (later won by Dame Kiri), the Australian Melbourne Sun-Aria in 1965, and the Kathleen Ferrier Award in London. She has also performed in international concerts including a BBC concert broadcast in London, an outdoor concert at the pyramids in Egypt with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, and a charity concert for Vera Lynn in London. She has performed more than 30 opera roles in their original languages. She has recorded numerous records and CDs.

She was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE) in 1991 in recognition of her contributions to music.

In 1992 she established a foundation to promote education through awards and provide training for young New Zealanders in the performing arts. One such recipient of her personal training is Hayley Westenra. Recent international concert performances have taken her to Asia, the Middle East, the United States, Australia and Britain. She is currently Professor of Music at Canterbury University in Christchurch, New Zealand.