Sharon Batterham 

Sharon Batterham is a distinguished choral music and vocal specialist, with extensive experience as a soloist, chorister, and conductor. Her musical journey began as a young chorister in the Australian Children’s Choir, performing at various venues across Melbourne, regional Victoria, and South Australia, and participating in the ACC’s inaugural international tours to Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. Her choral singing journey also included performances with the Australian Youth Choir, the CHIME Choir and the Faye Dumont Singers. 

Sharon completed tertiary music studies at the University of Melbourne, where she achieved a Bachelor of Music degree in composition and voice, as well as a Bachelor of Music Education. Vocal studies with Kevin Casey and Hartley Newnham refined her vocal skills, and Sharon actively participated in performances with the Faculty of Music Choir and Chamber Singers, composing and arranging music for both ensembles. 

Sharon’s deep interest in choral conducting flourished as she began tutoring the training groups of the Victorian Boys’ Choir, eventually progressing to roles in the Australian Girls’ Choir and the CHIME Choirs. Her dedication led her to pursue training in choral pedagogy, studying under influential conductors such as Rodney Eichenberger, Andre de Quadros, and Doreen Rao. Sharon’s commitment to her craft was further recognised when she was chosen from a pool of conductors worldwide to attend the 3rd Choral Symposium hosted by the Toronto Children’s Chorus under the guidance of Jean Ashworth-Bartle. 

Sharon assumed the role of Music Director of Southern Voices, a dynamic and talented ensemble of young musicians passionate about choral music and the joy of singing together, in 2008. She is in demand as a clinician at choral workshops catering to various age groups, an esteemed adjudicator, and a vocal coach for both contemporary and classical singers. 

Sharon is the director of Cantabella, the award-winning auditioned choir of Canterbury Girls’ Secondary College, and a voice teacher at three schools in Melbourne. She is also the conductor of the Melbourne Women’s Choir. Currently, she serves as the Vice-President of the Australian National Choral Association’s Victoria-Tasmania branch and has been President of the committee in the past. 

Sharon’s remarkable career and contributions to the choral world epitomise the transformative power of music and mentorship in shaping future generations of musicians.