Draft:Vanessa Sharman

Vanessa Sharman (born 1969) is an Australian pianist and music educator. She has performed in over 10 countries and recorded two solo CD's with Tall Poppies. Vanessa has a passion for premiering contemporary music to new audiences and inviting them to understand the new musical language. Vanessa Sharman was born in Hobart and began piano studies at the age of 5 with Eric Mitchell (a pupil of Alfred Cortot). Vanessa won a full music scholarship to attend St Michaels Collegiate School (1979-1986) and then studied a B.Mus (Hons) and Grad.Dip.Mus., at the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music (1987-1993), under Beryl Sedivka and Geoffrey Lancaster. Vanessa performed regularly in Hobart during her studies, both at live concerts and recordings for ABC Classic. She has also recorded for 3MBS in Victoria and 2MBS in NSW. Vanessa was included on the Deans Roll of Honour at the Conservatorium of Music and showed a particular interest in new music, performing Mario Davidovsky Synchronisms and a performance of Scriabin's Sonata no 5 with lighting sympathetic to the harmonies in the music. Vanessa was awarded the Best Young Talent at the Shepparton Piano Competition Vanessa has collaborated with artists such as Christine Douglas, cellist Christian Wojtowicz, violinists Rachel Bremner, Jun-Yi Ma, Susan Collins , flautist Douglas Mackie and sopranos Sharon Prero. Jane Edwards and Ayse Goknur Shanal. Vanessa performed in many masterclasses and worked with the Beaux Arts Trio and in particular Menahem Pressler and won a scholarship to perform at the Townsville Chamber Music Festival. Vanessa worked for the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra as a rehearsal pianist whilst studying and in 1993 won a grant to travel to France to study under Cécile Ousset, renown French concert pianist. Whilst in France in 1994, Vanessa was invited to Cecile Ousset's annual Master class sessions, held since 1984 in the medieval village of Puycelsi in south-west France. Cecile Ousset is a frequent adjudicator for major competitions such as Van Cliburn, Rubinstein, Leeds, and the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition. Vanessa studied the works of Ravel, Debussy,Liszt, Mozart and Rachmaninoff with Mme Ousset. Vanessa's piano performances were influenced deeply by her association with Yvonne Loriod, studying with her the music of Olivier Messiaen in three separate periods. During this period of study Vanessa was invited to perform at a Messiaen Festival in Paris as well as learning many of Loriod's own fingerings for Vingt Regards Sur L'enfant Jesus. Vanessa returned to Australia and gave a Lecture at the Piano Pedagogy Conference in Perth. In March 2023, Vanessa was Musical Director for a new chamber Opera by Don Kay - Memento Mori at the 10 days on the island Festival in Hobart. Recordings Vanessa is an expert in the music of Don Kay and has recorded two solo piano CD's of his music, in collaboration with Tall Poppies. Blue Skies through Tall Trees and Bird Chants, both CD's are available at Tall Poppies Records . Teacher Vanessa returned from France in 1995 to join the Tasmanian Conservatorium of Music as a Lecturer in Piano and accompaniment. In 1998 Vanessa moved to the Faculty of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong where she held the position of Head of Piano for 4 years. Moving to Hong Kong in 2002 Vanessa continued her teaching career through to the present where she is Head of Piano at Wesley College in Melbourne, after also working for the University or Melbourne and Monash University from 2014 - 2016. Personal[edit] Vanessa Sharman spends time in both Northcote and Venus Bay, Victoria, with her avid skiing husband John Lam and their three children, as well as a menagerie of animals and a large vegetable patch. She enjoys crafting, creating and learning new skills. Living near to the beach and bush environments are essential to spark creativity