Canadian soprano, Heather Newhouse began her musical education as a young chorister and student of voice, harmony and analysis. Following a French immersion high school diploma, she completed a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance at the University of Western Ontario, Canada where she received the Gold Medal at convocation. In 2006, she completed a Master of Music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Following her studies at the Guildhall, she moved to France to pursue further training, specifically in the French repertoire, at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et Danse de Lyon.
In 2004 she competed at the Canadian National Music Festival in Prince Edward Island where she placed third. That same year she was awarded the audience prize and the Natalie Stutzmann Lieder prize in the Lotte Lehmann CyberSing Art Song Competition (USA). In 2009, she was awarded the prize for most outstanding young singer at the Concours International d'interprétation de la mélodie française de Toulouse. In 2010, she participated in the summer academy at the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence as well as the Liedmasterclass at the Brussels Conservatorium directed by Udo Reinemann. In 2012 she was awarded one after the other First Prize at the Concours international de chant baroque in Froville and Second Prize (as well as Special Prize of the orchestra and the technicians) at the Concours international de Mâcon.
From 2011 to 2013 she was a member of the Opera Studio of the Opéra national de Lyon. She has performed there Pamina (Die Zauberflöte) and Governess (Britten's The turn of the screw), among others. Meanwhile, she has also performed the Governess at the Opéra du Rhin, Monica in Menotti's The Medium at the Festival de Sédières (France) and Madame Silberklang in Mozart's Der Schauspieldirektor with the Orchestre de Chambre de Genève under the baton of Leonardo Garcia Alarcon.
Heather Newhouse closely collaborates with the Ensemble Concert de l'Hostel Dieu and is in demand for solo work with several French ensembles. She has most recently performed Mozart's Requiem with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal under the baton of Hervé Niquet.
March 2021
