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At a recent concert in Melbourne I heard the young soprano Greta Bradman for the first time and was struck at first by her natural beauty, dress sense and engaging personality. Then, of course, there’s the voice.

In this concert Bradman moved with ease from Mozart concert arias, with their demanding top notes and volume to his gentler Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben which showed perfect phrasing and feeling for the music. I formed the opinion that as a singer Greta Bradman is – like fellow Australian, Danielle de Niese – set to become very famous internationally. And found that other reviewers were ahead of me, with The Advertiser calling Bradman “one of Australia”s finest young singers” and the Herald Sun predicting that she “will bring something new and original to Australia’s musical landscape”.

Time to find out more about Greta Bradman. There’s the famous name, of course, and, yes, “Our Don Bradman” was her cricket legend grandfather. Far from trading on this fact in a sports-mad nation, her biography almost ignores it and only fleetingly mentions husband Didier and sons Jude and Caspar.

Greta Bradman auditioned for classical voice performance at the Elder Conservatorium of Music in her hometown of Adelaide with no formal vocal training, went on to complete her Bachelor of Music with distinction, and picked up three music prizes along the way. Of interest, though, is that she was headed for a quite different career as a psychologist, something her biography describes as a dual life! She opted for singing just two years ago, and has already achieved a great deal: recitals, concerts, recording with Sony Music. Bradman was shortlisted as “best newcomer” in the 2010 ABC Limelight Magazine Awards and received a 2010 ARIA Award nomination for her debut album, Forest of Dreams. In the same year she won the 2010 RMP Aria Competition People´s Choice Award and the Mietta Song Competition Murray River International Music Festival Prize.

In her music career to date, Bradman has focused on oratorio, Lieder and art song, new music and chamber works from the 17th through 21st centuries. She is a great advocate of Australian music and was given the great honour of being the soprano soloist in Ross Edwards´ Symphony No.2 with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, a work written for legendary Australian soprano Yvonne Kenny (who has also coached and been a personal inspiration for her).

Bradman was also a principal singer for Carols in the Domain and undertook national tours with the Australian String Quartet and Welsh baritone Aled Jones. Other engagements have included performances with pianist Leigh Harrold, pianist Kathy Selby, harpist Marshall McGuire, Melbourne early music ensemble Latitude 37, Kegelstatt Ensemble, Soundstream New Music ensemble, Langbeiner String Quartet, Adelaide Chamber Players, and Adelaide Baroque. Last year’s engagements including supporting international star tenor Russell Watson on his national tour, and a busy year ended as soloist in Handel´s Messiah at the Melbourne Town Hall with the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choirs.

A detail in Greta Bradman’s biography is particularly touching. The singer has recorded the song Every Day is Rainbow Day for Me, for the ABC Classics release Don Bradman: The Music He Loved. The song was written by her grandfather and was the only new recording featured in the compilation of songs selected from his own record collection. Greta Bradman already has the name and, in my opinion, is also set to enjoy the fame her voice will bring.

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Suzanne Yanko

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Events Calendar

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  • July 2022

Calendar of Events

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1 event, 27

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Affinity Quartet – Through the Looking Glass

June 27 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Affinity Quartet – Through the Looking Glass

The next generation of Australia’s chamber music stars. Program Caroline Shaw Entr’acte Joseph Haydn String Quartet Op.76/4 ‘Sunrise’ Béla Bartók String…

$40 – $50

1 event, 28

7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Great Performers Series: Diana Doherty & Bernadette Harvey

June 28 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Great Performers Series: Diana Doherty & Bernadette Harvey

A commanding, trailblazing oboist at the top of her musical game. In this concert, Diana Doherty unites with pianist Bernadette Harvey…

$49 – $115

0 events, 29

1 event, 30

7:30 pm - 9:45 pm Recurring

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Beethoven’s Ninth

June 30 @ 7:30 pm - 9:45 pm Recurring

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Beethoven’s Ninth

Xian Zhang, the first female conductor to hold a titled role with a BBC Orchestra, joins forces with the MSO and…

$64 – $119

1 event, 1

7:30 pm - 9:45 pm Recurring

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Beethoven’s Ninth

July 1 @ 7:30 pm - 9:45 pm Recurring

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Beethoven’s Ninth

Xian Zhang, the first female conductor to hold a titled role with a BBC Orchestra, joins forces with the MSO and…

$64 – $119

1 event, 2

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Melbourne Bach Choir: A Concert for Peace

July 2 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Melbourne Bach Choir: A Concert for Peace

lMelbourne Bach Chamber Choir & Orchestra, organ and soloists, conducted by Rick Prakhoff A programme of works on the theme of…

$25 – $40

0 events, 3

1 event, 4

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Duo Eclettico – From the Forest and Seas

July 4 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Duo Eclettico – From the Forest and Seas

About Duo Eclettico Award-winning Duo Eclettico explore the wealth of repertoire available for their unique combination of instruments – saxophone and…

$40 – $50

1 event, 5

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The Evolution of the Piano

July 5 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The Evolution of the Piano

Tracing the piano’s metamorphosis through time. About the artists Stephanie McCallum has become renowned for a pianistic practice based on refined…

$40 – $50

1 event, 6

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Arcadia Winds – Destiny

July 6 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Arcadia Winds – Destiny

Unrivaled energy and spontaneity inspired by the notion of destiny. About Arcadia Winds Arcadia Winds are trailblazers for Australian wind music,…

$30 – $37

1 event, 7

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Kristian Chong & Friends – The Brahms’ Sonatas with Timo Veikko Valve

July 7 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Kristian Chong & Friends – The Brahms’ Sonatas with Timo Veikko Valve

From brooding to vibrant with Brahms’s sonatas for cello and piano. About Kristian Chong & Friends Kristian Chong and Friends is…

$40 – $50

0 events, 8

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1 event, 12

6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The Parlour – Women’s Voices

July 12 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The Parlour – Women’s Voices

A uniquely moving experience in celebration of women. About the artists The Parlour focuses on the sung storytelling of Art Song…

$30 – $37

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June 27
June 27 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Affinity Quartet – Through the Looking Glass

June 28
June 28 @ 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Great Performers Series: Diana Doherty & Bernadette Harvey

  • There are no events on this day.
June 30
June 30 @ 7:30 pm - 9:45 pm Recurring

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Beethoven’s Ninth

July 1
July 1 @ 7:30 pm - 9:45 pm Recurring

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra: Beethoven’s Ninth

July 2
July 2 @ 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Melbourne Bach Choir: A Concert for Peace

  • There are no events on this day.
July 4
July 4 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Duo Eclettico – From the Forest and Seas

July 5
July 5 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The Evolution of the Piano

July 6
July 6 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Arcadia Winds – Destiny

July 7
July 7 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Kristian Chong & Friends – The Brahms’ Sonatas with Timo Veikko Valve

July 12
July 12 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The Parlour – Women’s Voices

July 6
July 6 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Arcadia Winds – Destiny

July 7
July 7 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Kristian Chong & Friends – The Brahms’ Sonatas with Timo Veikko Valve

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July 12
July 12 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The Parlour – Women’s Voices

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