Helen Lear

I have greatly enjoyed working intensively with Professor Margaret Kingsley to change voice type from mezzo-soprano to soprano.  Together with Margaret, and consultation lessons from Paul Farrington and Lillian Watson, I have reached the stage where I can officially call myself a soprano! I really appreciated the comprehensive support from the NZUK Link Foundation to hold a concert at the Penthouse of NZ House, with Carleen Ebbs.  We could not have held such a successful event without the help of the Foundation, and Carleen & I were thrilled to raise funds towards our study from the concert. Along with this financial support for my singing study, I became the administrator for a European wide charity, Eurocarers, a charity formed to improve the emergency services and government support for unpaid carers across the European Union. Following my Postgraduate Diploma that I finished in July 2006, I completed a Masters at the Royal College of Music. Again, I would like to thank the NZUK Link Foundation so much for their wonderful support with my study and concerts in London.  I have been greatly enjoying the experiences that study in London offers, and it has been wonderful to be so generously supported by the members of the Link Foundation in NZ and the UK.