Independent Opera Voice Scholarship and Fellow (2019)

Matthew and Sally Ferrey Scholarship (2019)

2017-18 Clifton Prize for Singing (2018)

DipRAM for outstanding final recital (2018)

G Embley Memorial Prize (2018)

'Samantha Quillish impressed in all three of RAO’s 2019 productions, most especially in the title role of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta , and here she was outstanding as Nina, the ‘nice girl’ whom Chérubin overlooks as he chases his aristocratic darlings. Her act 1 aria was a lovely moment of simplicity and stillness amid the revelry and carousing, and in the final act - a sombre figure in black, as Nina prepares to enter a convent - she sustained a sense of sincerity when things took a sentimental turn.' - Opera Today (2020)

'The soprano, Samantha Quillish, brought real flamboyance to the Six Songs from Rollett’s Jucunde' - The Guardian (2020)

'Papagena, Samantha Quillish, has such effervescence it leaves one wishing she had more to do and sing; - Classical Source (2019)

'Royal Academy Opera’s dual cast production has (in Cast 1) a fine portrayal from soprano Samantha Quillish... the voice is warm and silky and she’s a fluent, convincing actress' - Bach Track (2019)

'Samantha Quillish and Shengzhi Ren are outstanding as Iolanta and Vaudémont. Quillish’s light, yearning soprano and aura of innocence and confusion are spot on for a role that significantly extended Tchaikovsky’s range of victimised but passionate women, and she and Ren raise the emotional temperature considerably in their music together. ' - Classical Source (2019)

'Samantha Quillish sang Iolanta’s arioso lines with delicacy in the opening garden scene, conveying the princess’s gentleness and purity, but her soprano has both depth and darkness and grew in fervency as Iolanta’s sensuality was awoken, passivity giving way to nascent but intense passion' - Opera Today (2019)

'Samantha Quillish’s Iolanta was heartfelt, moving, possessed both of heft and subtlety' - Seen and heard (2019)

Samantha Quillish is a lyric Soprano and recent graduate from the Royal Academy of Music’s Opera School. Samantha is currently a young artist at the National Opera Studio and was recently part of the Royal Opera House’s new mentorship scheme. Operatic performances include the title role in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta, Iris Semele, Nina Cherubin and Papagena Die Zauberflöte. In 2022 Samantha joined the British Youth Opera where she performed the role of Mistress Page in Vaughan Williams Sir John in Love at Opera Holland Park. Other operatic showcases have included performances as Eurydice in scenes from Orfeo ed Eurydice, Suzel L’amico Fritz, Countess Le Nozze di Figaro and Anne Truelove The Rake’s Progress. Samantha has also performed with the Glyndebourne Chorus in their premier production of The Wreckers both at the festival and again as part of the BBC Proms. In oratorio performances Samantha has performed as Soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem, Mahler’s 2nd Symphony and Vivaldi’s Gloria. Soloist concert performances have included a private concert at the home of Lady Solti, a concert for Prince Philip’s memorial with the Oxford and Cambridge Club and a concert of Italian song at the Italian Cultural Institute. Concert performances have also lead Samantha to perform multiple times in the Wigmore Hall, firstly as a soloist in a concert of Clara Schumann Songs which was later performed in the Leeds Lieder festival, then as a finalist in the Royal Academy of Music’s Bicentenary Competition. Recently Samantha has performed twice at the Wigmore Hall as a soloist for Independent Opera and the National Opera Studio.
In 2022 Samantha was awarded first prize in the VIII Odin International Music Competition and runner up in the Mimas International Music Competition. As well as being awarded an Independent Opera Voice Scholarship and Fellowship, Samantha also holds a DipRAM for outstanding performance, the G Embley Memorial Prize, the 2017-18 Clifton Prize for Singing and was commended for her performance in the Bicentenary Prize. Samantha has appeared in public masterclasses with Susan Bullock and Ubaldo Fabbri as well as in a masterclass of Strauss’ Vier Letzte Lieder with Dame Felicity Lott, which ended in an evening concert together.

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