Australian mezzo-soprano Kate Howden studied at Trinity Laban with Ameral Gunson, the Royal Academy of Music with Elizabeth Ritchie and Jonathan Papp, and the National Opera Studio, London. She currently studies privately with Susan Roberts.

Opera roles include the title role in Cendrillon, Isolier (Le Comte Ory), Bianca (The Rape of Lucretia), Hansel, La Ciesca (Gianni Schicchi), La suora zelatrice (Suor Angelica), Dorothée (Cendrillon), Cherubino and Annio (La Clemenza di Tito). She performed in the 2015 Glyndebourne Festival chorus in Carmen and Poliuto.

Kate’s recent soloist performances include the title role in Handel’s Solomon at the Musique Cordiale Festival in France, Il Ritorno at the Barbican Theatre with Australian contemporary circus group Circa and Satie’s Mort de Socrate with Joanna Macgregor at King’s Place.

She has been the winner of the Jean Meikle Prize for a Duo (with pianist Sachika Taniyama) at the 2015 Wigmore Hall/Kohn Foundation International Song Competition, the art song prize at the Mozart Singing Competition 2015, a Help Musicians UK Tutton award for opera performance, a Help Musicians UK Licette Award for French song, the Isabel Jay Prize (RAM) and the Roy Pleasance Singing Award (TCM).

Kate is grateful for previous support from Opera North, the Robert Vivian Memorial Trust, the Kathleen Trust, the Ian Potter Cultural Trust, Jennie Blythe, Matthew and Sally Ferrey, the Australian Music Foundation (with the Riddiford Trust), the Countess of Munster Musical Trust, the Tait Memorial Trust and the Opus 50 Charitable Trust. She has been supported in oratorio performances by the Josephine Baker Trust and was a member of Academy’s prestigious Song Circle and Bach Cantata series. In 2015 Kate was a Les Azuriales Young Artist. She is represented by Caroline Phillips Management.