Vanessa Lee Shirley

2006

Vanessa graduated from Murray Bridge High School in 2004 with various Year 12 awards for excellence, including her South Australian Certificate of Education.

Through an audition process Vanessa gained entry into the Elder Conservatorium of Music at The University of Adelaide, where she is currently in her second year studying a Bachelor of Music Degree performance majoring in classical voice.

At just nineteen Vanessa is a multitalented and versatile artist with an accolade of awards and performances. Some of these include such highlights as: ABC News, Stateline, Parliament House, Channel 7, Festival Theatre, Adelaide Fringe Festivals, Olympic Torch Relay concerts, S.A. Museum shows, S.A. Tourism events including The Great Australian Cattle Drive concerts with Slim Dusty and Lee Kernaghan, the Tastes of the Outback gigs in the Flinders Ranges and Murray Bridge Rodeo. Other highlights include being showcased in Tamworth NSW, Victoria and South Australia at various events including Country Music Festivals and National Youth Festivals.

Vanessa has also been involved in Hundreds of shows and events for charitable organizations such as Cancer Research and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Vanessa's outstanding ability to perform has given her a wealth of experience with many leading bands such as the Sherrahs, Heartland, Graeme Hugo and Ironbark, Mallee Blue, Mt Barker District Community Band as well as the Murray Bridge High School Band.

Her excellent rhythm guitar skills have endeavoured her to accompany herself on many occasions and she is now delivering her own material.

Her list of awards is endless at many talent quests in S.A, N.S.W and Victoria taking out 1st places in vocal, gospel, band and duet sections, including Junior and Senior overall awards, Junior S.A. Champion of Champions, Victorian Junior Vocal Champion of Champions, Junior Entertainer of the Year at Pt Augusta, Mayoral awards for Excellence, and now Senior S.A. Champion of Champions 2006.

Vanessa is also a graduate of Camerata, Tamworth's Junior Country Music College in 2003.

Last year Vanessa was chosen to sing the lead soprano of Handle's Messiah at Mt Barker and Victor Harbour. Vanessa is also a facilitator of the Murray Bridge Players and Singers Youth Theatre group and is chairperson for the Murray Bridge Council Youth Action Committee. Vanessa is also a committee member for the Murray Bridge Players and Singers, where she has also performed various lead roles in their musical productions and plays. As well as being involved in these events Vanessa has also successfully compered some of these community programs.

Vanessa's dedication to country music is to be commended and her dedication to her hard work is starting to pave the way for a very exciting future, so that one-day her dreams of international stardom will truly become a reality.

See here for her Awards list to 2006

See here for her performace list of 2006.

Email: vanessaleeshirley@hotmail.com

See our Prelude Sept 2003 for her Mother's report of Venessa's experience at 2003 Camarata in Tamworth (as a result of winning the 2003 City Shelton Memorial Award)

July 29, 2006 Vanessa won the South Australian Senior Champion of Champions!

	Vanessa at the 2002 Showcase (photo by I Fisk)
Vanessa at Hugo's Place May 2004 and as 2006 Senior Champ with Junior Champ Kristal Collins (photos by I Fisk)
Promo Picture supplied by Vanessa 2006	Venessa with her Rocky Page Memorial Scholarship at Showcase 2006