Recently, life has been a series of endings and new beginnings for local talent Hudson Bertram.
On Friday, the 16-year-old rising musical star took the stage as sweet fool Tobias in Phoenix Ensemble’s production of Sweeney Todd for the final time at Beenleigh’s Pavillion Theatre.
Come Monday, he sets his sights on a new challenge; preparing to compete in the Queensland Vocal Competition for the very first time.
“Being in Phoenix Ensemble’s production of Sweeney Todd at Beenleigh has been the most incredible and rewarding experience for me,” he said.
“Stephen Sondheim, the writer of the musical, is an idol of mine and I love every aspect of the complex and intricate score.
“It is a very in-depth and vocally demanding role and I have loved every minute of it.”
The rising star said he attributed his success in the famous role to his classical training which he began from a very early age.
“I started having classical vocal lessons from the age of two and half and I have been participating in local and national eisteddfods and competitions every year since I was three years,” he said.
“Being classically trained has helped me immensely to not only learn the difficult music with ease, but to sing it proficiently.”
The Queensland Vocal Competition will be hosted by the Queensland Music Teachers Association on June 3.
“I am looking forward to not only performing my songs to an audience that appreciates this beautiful art-form, but connecting with the range of professionals involved with the Festival,” Hudson said.
He said the ultimate goal was Broadway.
“At the moment I would really love to be George Seurat in Sunday in the Park with George, it’s my favourite musical, it’s amazing,” he said.
“That’s definitely the dream, as a musical theatre singer that’s really what I want to be.”
Mr Bertram’s vocal coach of four years and Performance Studios Australia owner Lisa Lockland-Bell says he is on his way to achieving them.
“He not only has done the season, he’s done school, he’s done musical theatre rehearsals at school and the Ipswich Eisteddfod and in among all that he has nailed it all and for a 16-year-old boy that’s quite an achievement,” she said.
QVC Convenor Marina Poša said this week’s competition has been “overwhelmed with entries from all over Queensland”.
“This is so wonderful because it means that classical singing is continuing to flourish in our young and up and coming future singers.”
Leave a Reply