Winner of the 2017 Kathleen Ferrier Awards, awarded a 2016 Kiwi Music Scholarship, a 2016 Countess of Munster Award, Winner of the 2016 Brooks-van der Pump English Song Competition, the 2016 Joan Chissell Schumann Prize and Winner of the 2015 Maureen Lehane Vocal Arts Award, British / New Zealand baritone Julien Van Mellaerts studied at the University of Otago, before joining the International Opera School of the Royal College of Music. His studies have been supported by the Josephine Baker Trust, Janet Bolton O’Sullivan Scholarship, the Hunn Trust, an Alex Templeton Award, a Laing Award and the Wates Foundation Trust and he graduated in Summer 2017, having been a Fishmongers Company Scholar, supported by a Thomas Weinberger Award studying with Russell Smythe. On Graduation, he was awarded the Tagore Gold Medal.

At the Royal College of Music, he sang Mr Gedge Albert Herring, Maître Pausanias Une education manquée, Nardo La finta giardiniera, Le Mari / Le Directeur Les mamelles de Tirésias and Gabriel von Eisenstein Die Fledermaus.

His engagements elsewhere have included Gustavo Faramondo for the London Handel Festival, Count Danilo The Merry Widow for Ryedale Festival Opera, Apollo L’Orfeo for Otago Opera and Schaunard La bohème for Haddo House Opera and Opera Holland Park Christine Collins Young Artists.

Concert highlights have included the St John Passion and Messiah with the Orchestra of St John’s, Paul Carr’s Requiem for an Angel with the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and the world première of Lewis Murphy’s Land Unknown at New Zealand House, The Genius of Mozart with the Orion Orchestra and Carmina Burana at The Snape Maltings. Recital engagements have included performances with Christopher Glynn at the Ryedale Festival and with Nigel Foster at the London Song Festival. His broadcasts include In Tune (BBC Radio 3) and Salome (Medici TV).

Current engagements include Mahler Das Knaben Wunderhorn with Julius Drake for the Juan March Foundation, Madrid, Schuanard La bohème for New Zealand Opera, The Referee Mozart vs Machine for Mahogany Opera Group, Dandini La cenerentola for Diva Opera, Second Nazarene / Salome at the 2017 Verbier Festival, the title role in Eugene Onegin for Cambridge Philharmonic Society, Vaughan Williams Hodie at Cadogan Hall, a recital for Leeds Lieder and a return to the London Song Festival. With the Royal Ballet, he appears in Elizabeth at London’s Barbican Hall.