Honor McKellar

Winifred Honor McKellar (10 November 1920 – 2 February 2024) was a New Zealand mezzo-soprano opera singer and singing teacher, and was the first full-time lecturer in singing at the University of Otago in Dunedin. Her students included Jonathan Lemalu, Patrick Power and Matt Landreth. In 1989, she was awarded a Queen's Service Medal for services to music, and in 2012, she was made a life member of the New Zealand Association of Teachers of Singing.

Early life and education Winifred Honor McKellar was born in Dunedin on 10 November 1920. Her mother was musical although McKellar does not recall hearing her sing. McKellar was taught piano by Miss Allen, and dancing by Dorothy Dean. At 16, she had her first singing lesson, from Dunedin musician Ida White.

McKellar credits London-based singing teacher Roy Henderson teaching her the importance of "getting the meaning of music across by other means, concentrating on what the body was doing."

In 1971 McKellar returned to Dunedin where she became the university's first executant lecturer in singing, being appointed the William Evans lecturer. It was through McKellar's pressure that the Music Department appointed a full-time pianist, Maurice Till . She died in Alexandra on 2 February 2024, at the age of 103.

Recognition In the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours, McKellar was awarded the Queen's Service Medal for community service. In 2012 she was made a life member of the New Zealand Association of Teachers of Singing (NEWZATS).

McKellar was the guest of honour at a Mothers' Day performance given by Lemalu in Dunedin in 2021. Lemalu has said of McKellar that he would not have a singing career without her: "I remember your boundless energy, patience, and instilling fun and joy in my music making. You always kept me grounded, you always kept me focussed... every singing teacher subsequently is and was compared to you, my musical mother."

The university held a morning tea at their new Performing Arts Centre to celebrate McKellar's 100th birthday in November 2020.