Phillip Rhodes graduated with a Diploma in Performing Arts (Voice) from the Eastern Institute of Technology in 2001 where he studied under Patrick Power. During his studies, he performed the role of Riff (West Side Story), Pilate (Jesus Christ Superstar) and Macheath (The Beggar's Opera).

He has sung in Napier Operatic Society's productions of West-End to Broadway, Blood Brothers and performed as Enjolras in Les Misérables. An accomplished Shakespearian actor, he has performed in Othello, Macbeth and taken the leading role of Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing.

During 2003 Phillip, sang the role of Monostatos (The Magic Flute) for Opera Hawke's Bay, Aeneas (Dido and Aeneas) for Hawke's Bay Song and Opera and was selected with other young singers to perform alongside Dame Kiri Te Kanawa at Our Giants Concert, Craggy Range. He then joined the Chapman Tripp Opera Chorus performing in NBR New Zealand Opera's Tosca, and was also a finalist in the 2003 Lockwood Aria Competition.

Phillip was a PwC Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artist with The NBR New Zealand Opera in 2004 and joint recipient of the Circle100 Scholarship in 2007.

Phillip's Maori tribal affiliations are Ngati Awa and Ngati Kahungungu, and in November 2003, he was asked to perform the waiata on behalf of Jose Carreras at the powhiri welcoming the famous tenor to New Zealand.

Phillip has performed many leading roles including Malatesta (Don Pasquale) and Ping (Turandot) for New Zealand Opera, Marcello (La bohème) for Opera Hawkes Bay and the role of The Brother in Weill’s Seven Deadly Sins for the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts. He won the Lockwood Aria in 2005 and the Lexus Song Quest (formerly the Mobile Song Quest) in 2007. In 2010, he won second prize in the Monserrat Caballé International Voice Competition in Spain.

Phillip has been a recent student under Dennis O’Neill at the Cardiff International Academy of Voice. He returns to Australia and New Zealand in 2011 for concert appearances in Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland. For the Auckland Philharmonia, he takes the baritone solos in Orff’s Carmina Burana; he performs in recital with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa at Melbourne Town Hall and then appears as her associate artist for Opera in the Vineyards at Wyndham Estate, NSW.

Phillip gratefully acknowledges Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation who have provided him with significant mentoring and financial support.

Source: Patrick Togher Artists’ Management 2011
Used by Permission

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