International Women’s Day Celebration
Shimona Rose Thevathasan (2012)
On Friday 6 March 2026, the Ballarat Grammar community came together to celebrate International Women’s Day, with around 100 guests including students, staff and parents coming together for a special morning of connection and inspiration.
The event was led by our JEDI Captains, Meg Ham and Mason Johns, who welcomed guests and reflected on the importance of recognising the achievements and contributions of women across our community and beyond.
A highlight of the morning was the return of past student Shimona Rose Thevathasan, who delivered an inspiring address about her journey since leaving Ballarat Grammar.
Born in Singapore, Shimona joined Ballarat Grammar for Years 11 and 12 to complete her VCE before pursuing a remarkable pathway in classical music. She has since gone on to graduate with a Master of Performance with Distinction from the Royal College of Music, studying under renowned soprano Amanda Roocroft.
Now an accomplished soprano, Shimona has achieved numerous accolades throughout her career, including being named the 2024 Pendine International Voice of the Future, the 2018 Opera Scholar of the Year, and the 37th Annual Australian National Liederfest winner.
Since earning her qualification from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2023, Shimona has also developed a meaningful parallel career in music therapy. She has gained experience working with a variety of client groups, including children with special educational needs and adults with complex neurological disabilities. In December 2025, she further expanded her expertise by qualifying as a Registered Neurologic Music Therapist, specialising in evidence-based, neuroscience-informed techniques to support cognitive, motor, speech and psychosocial functioning. When speaking about this new career path, Shimona shared powerful stories of how music therapy has helped transform the lives of her clients, a part of her speech that was truly inspirational.
Shimona’s growing international career has seen her perform a wide range of operatic roles. In 2022 she debuted as Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus with the Singapore Lyric Opera at the iconic Esplanade, Theatres on the Bay. Her stage experience also includes roles in The Rake’s Progress, Falstaff, The Turn of the Screw and Die Zauberflöte.
During the International Women’s Day celebration, Shimona captivated the audience as she reflected on her personal and professional journey, speaking openly about perseverance, passion and the importance of embracing opportunities. She then delighted guests with two beautiful songs, leaving the room spellbound and providing a memorable and truly inspiring morning.
It was a privilege to welcome Shimona back to Ballarat Grammar and to celebrate the achievements of one of our talented past students.
We love celebrating our Old Grammarians and creating opportunities for our community to connect and engage. If you have any suggestions for future guest speakers we would love to hear from you. Please reach out to the development team [email protected].
