John and Sue Thompson Vocal Scholarship 2024 winner Rebecca Goobanko first felt the inescapable  pull of music when she witnessed her parents performing in Les Misérables at just 5 years old.  Singing and harmonising with her 4 brothers further fanned the flame into a keen passion for Classical  Music and an exciting career as an operatic Soprano.  

First guided and encouraged by vocal coach Jason Barry-Smith of Opera Australia and Opera New  Zealand fame, Rebecca is a now a Bachelor of Music and Performance Honours candidate at the  Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU). Under the tutelage of Dr. Paul McMahon – Queensland state director of Musica Viva Australia and vocal teaching staff member at the QCGU,  Rebecca became the 2023 winner of the Margaret Nixon Prize for Voice and Piano, and debuted her  professional opera career as Amorè in the QCGU production of Orpheus in the Underworld. In her  free time, you can find Rebecca exploring and picnicking the many beautiful hikes of Southeast  Queensland.