Jonathan Lemalu

Jonathan Fa'afetai Lemalu (born in 1976, in Dunedin, New Zealand) is a bass baritone opera singer. Born to Samoan parents who had emigrated to New Zealand, he was educated in Dunedin. He studied both Law and Music at the University of Otago, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 1999.

Lemalu studied at the Royal College of Music (RCM), winning the college's gold medal award in 2002, and the prestigious London based Kathleen Ferrier Award (previously won by Malvina Major in 1966) also in 2002. He was a BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist from 2002-2004. He was the 2004 winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society's award for Young Artist of the Year.

Lemalu's wife is the Croatian mezzo-soprano Sandra Martinovic, with whom he has given joint recitals. He lives in London with his wife and their son.

Awards

• 1997 Dame Sister Mary Leo Scholarship.
• 1998 New Zealand Mobil Song Quest.
• 1999 Australia's McDonald's Operatic Aria Contest at the Sydney Opera House.
• 2000 Inaugural Llangollen International Singer 2000 Competition.
• RCM Graziella Sciutti Recital Prize.
• RCM Keith Faulkner Oratorio Prize.
• 2000 LASMO Staffa Singers Prize.
• Bruce Millar/Gulliver Award for Young Opera Singers (Glasgow).
• Overall winner of the Royal Over-Seas League Competition (and Royal Over-Seas League Singers Prize, and Overseas Award).
• Richard Tauber Prize for Singers (Wigmore Hall).
• Concert FM Broadcasting Artist of the Year (NZ).
• 2000 recipient of the RCM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Rosebowl (presented by HRH Prince Charles) and NFMS Alfreda Hodgson Prize.
• Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Scholar.
• President Emerita Scholar, Leverhulme Trust Scholar, Tillet Trust Scholar and Singers Academy Scholar at the RCM.
• BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist 2002-2004

External links

• Official website
• Cantores Choir: Website of the Dunedin choir for which Jonathan is an alumnus and is now patron