Sciences grad a soprano rock star

When it was time to choose between being a rock star or a soprano, Rosie Auchinvole chose both.

The Bachelor of Science student and trained soprano will cross the graduation stage on Wednesday, with a double major in Geology and Geography and a minor in Music (Classical Voice Performance).

Alongside her degree, Rosie has also collected a fair few accolades in the singing world, the latest being with the New Zealand Youth Choir, winning Choir of the World at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in Wales.

Rosie says despite her passion for choral singing, deciding to apply for a science degree wasn’t too difficult since she “had always enjoyed and done well in geography at school”.

It was the minors that posed the conundrum.

“I considered other papers like Sports, but I wanted to stay connected to singing, so in the end I decided a Music minor would allow me to keep developing my vocal skills.

“At my mother’s suggestion, I also took Geology as a minor. This ended up being a great idea, and at the end of first year, I made Geology a major, giving myself slightly more work to do with a double major and a minor, but in the end, it was all worth it.”

While her choice of subjects might not seem linked, she’s not the first person to go through the University’s Geology Department who has “operatic aspirations”.

She follows in the footsteps of fellow Geology graduate Alex Wilson, who went on to study a masters in Vocal Studies in Wales.

“The mix of science and music is something I’ve always enjoyed. Being able to switch between singing practice and working on a project was a bonus.”

Projects were a highlight of her degree, Rosie says.

“I went on field trips to interesting places across the South Island and got to be a part of research across different fields, opening me up to what a research career may look like. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

“I also got to analyse new, unstudied datasets from Antarctica for my geology research project, making observations about the Ross Ice Shelf, something I never imagined myself doing.”

Singing formed a big part of her time at Otago. She not only studied classical voice performance but also participated in choirs and competitions in Aotearoa and internationally.

“I was very lucky that the Uni was able to accommodate my extracurricular commitments, often helping me work around clashes and showing support of my performances.”

Rosie started at Otago as part of the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir and by her second year had joined the New Zealand Youth Choir.

As a solo performer, she won awards for Best Student Performer at the Lilburn Student Composers Competition and first place in the Cleveland Singing Competition, both in 2023.

But it was with the New Zealand Youth Choir that Rosie had the opportunity to represent Aotearoa on the international stage.

Just weeks after she finished her studies, she embarked on an international tour with the Choir, across Singapore, Denmark and the United Kingdom.

Singapore featured a joint performance with the Voices of Singapore and the Portland State Chamber Choir. In Denmark, they competed in the European Choir Games, winning the Grand Prix of Nations in the Folklore class.

“We represented Aotearoa and the Pacific with waiata, kapa haka, mōteatea and pieces from Samoa and Fiji.”

Following sold-out performances in London and Oxford, they travelled to Wales to compete in the Llangollen International Eisteddfod, a summer music festival featuring competitions, performances, and celebrations.

Wales saw the Choir receive the top honour, competing against three other choirs to win the prestigious ‘Choir of the World’ title.

“This was an amazing result, and I am so proud to say that I was a part of a choir that got to share the music of Aotearoa on such a huge international stage.

“The overall tour experience was incredible, and the results we got are something I won’t forget for a long time.”

A stint at the Aotearoa New Zealand Opera School earlier this year tipped the scales towards a career in singing, Rosie says.

“I received one-on-one lessons with internationally renowned tutors and got more of an insight into the world of opera. After this experience, I decided that I would commit to a solo performance career.”

It was a difficult decision for Rosie, since she “loved studying Geography and Geology”.

“I can definitely see a version of myself doing postgrad studies at Otago and then working in the Sciences or even going into teaching.

“Despite this, it will be better for me to fully commit to singing now, and then, if later in life I want a change, the Sciences will still be there.”

Rosie will head off to Auckland next year to pursue further studies in music and to gain better access to the opera scene.

“Leaving Dunedin and Otago will be both exciting and challenging, since I have never lived in another city, but I am excited about the new opportunities I will have.

“Otago set me up well for my future, with super supportive classmates and professors who celebrated my successes.”

~ Kōrero by Sandra French, Adviser, Internal Communications