Deborah Cheetham Fraillon facts for kids

Deborah Joy Cheetham Fraillon AO (born Deborah Joy Cheetham, 1964) is an Aboriginal Australian singer, composer, and writer. She is famous for her powerful voice and for creating new music. She leads an important group called Short Black Opera. This group helps young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists learn about music and get chances to perform.

In February 2023, Deborah Cheetham Fraillon became a special teacher at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She holds the Elizabeth Todd Chair of Vocal Studies, which means she teaches people how to sing.

Early life and education

Deborah Joy Cheetham was born in 1964 in Nowra, New South Wales. When she was just three weeks old, she was taken from her birth mother. She was then raised by a white Baptist family. This was part of a sad time in history called the Stolen Generations. The famous musician Jimmy Little was her uncle.

She went to Penshurst Girls High School. Later, she studied music at the NSW Conservatorium of Music. She earned a degree in Music Education.

Writing and performing career

In 1997, Deborah Cheetham wrote a play about her own life called White Baptist Abba Fan. The play shares her journey of understanding her Aboriginal identity. It also tells about her efforts to find her Aboriginal family. This play has been shown in many countries around the world.

As a singer, Deborah Cheetham has performed in many places. These include France, Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. She sang at the opening ceremonies for big events. These were the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

In October 2010, her opera Pecan Summer was first performed. An opera is a play where most of the words are sung. This opera was about the 1939 Cummeragunja walk-off. This was an important event in Aboriginal history. Deborah Cheetham wrote the story, composed the music, and sang in the opera. It was the first opera ever written by an Indigenous Australian. It also had a cast of only Indigenous performers.

In 2018, Deborah Cheetham helped write a book called Growing Up Aboriginal In Australia. She was one of 52 people who shared their stories for the book.

Cheetham also wrote a special musical piece called "Eumeralla, a war requiem for peace". A requiem is usually a piece of music for remembering the dead. This one was about the conflicts between First Nations people and settlers. It was sung entirely in the Gunditjmara language. The first time it was performed was in 2019. She sang with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the Dhungala Children's Choir.

In 2021, her artwork The Rivers Sing was shown in Melbourne. It was created with other artists, Byron J Scullin and Thomas Supple.

Her second opera, Parrwang Lifts the Sky, was first performed in 2021. It was sung in the Wadawurrung language.

Deborah Cheetham also created a piece called Ancient Land Processional. It is performed at every graduation ceremony at the University of South Australia. This piece is sung in three different Indigenous languages.

In 2022, she created a short new work called Ghost Light. It was performed as part of a project by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Academic career

In 2019, Deborah Cheetham became a Professor at Monash University. She was also the Composer in Residence for the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2020. This meant she worked closely with the orchestra to create new music.

In 2023, she started her special teaching role at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

Other activities

In 2018, Deborah Cheetham became a patron of the Girls' Voices of the Cathedral choir in Melbourne. This means she supports and encourages the young singers.

She has also spoken about changing the words to "Advance Australia Fair". This is Australia's national anthem. She believes the words should be updated to better include all Australians.

Short Black Opera

Deborah Cheetham leads the national First Nations opera company called Short Black Opera. It is based in Melbourne. This company helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander singers, composers, and musicians. They offer training and chances to perform. They also run workshops for schoolchildren.

The Short Black Opera for KIDS program started in 2009. It created a children's choir to perform in Pecan Summer. This choir is now known as the Dhungala Children's Choir. It continues to help young singers today.

Personal life

Deborah Cheetham is married to conductor Nicolette Fraillon. They got married on January 2, 2023.

Awards and honours

Deborah Cheetham has received many important awards for her work.

In 2014, she was given the title of Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). This is a very high honour. It was for her amazing work as a singer, composer, and artistic director. It also recognized her efforts to help Indigenous artists.

In 2018, the University of South Australia gave her an Honorary Doctorate. This is a special university award that recognizes her great service to the community.

Australian Women in Music Awards

The Australian Women in Music Awards celebrate women who have made big contributions to music in Australia.

Bernard Heinze Memorial Award

The Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award is given to someone who has made a huge contribution to music in Australia.

Helpmann Awards

The Helpmann Awards celebrate live entertainment and performing arts in Australia.

Music Victoria Awards

The Music Victoria Awards celebrate music from Victoria, Australia.

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) recognize success in Australia's live music scene.

Victorian Honour Roll of Women

The Victorian Honour Roll of Women celebrates the achievements of women from Victoria, Australia.

Don Banks Music Awards

The Don Banks Music Award honours a senior artist who has made an outstanding contribution to music in Australia.

See also

In Spanish: Deborah Cheetham para niños