Mr McNichol is originally from Echuca, and started his piano studies at St Joseph’s College.
His family was involved in the musical life of Echuca, as his father was president of the Echuca Musical Society and sang in the choir at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, which is now Echuca-Moama Uniting Church.
Mr McNichol completed a Bachelor of Music at the Melba Conservatorium and was the recipient of an overseas travelling scholarship that enabled him to further his piano studies in London with the world renown accompanist, Geoffrey Parsons.
He has worked as a rehearsal pianist with Opera Australia, Opera Victoria and Opera Melbourne.
In 2012 he performed throughout South Korea with the soprano Helen Noonan in Chamber Made Opera’s production, Recital.
He has performed throughout Asia, Europe and New Zealand as an accompanist for the National Boys Choir and the Australian Boys Choir.
Mr McNichol has served as the official accompanist for a number of Australia’s most prestigious singing competitions, including the Herald Sun Aria Final and the Australian International Opera Awards.
He has performed in a number of regional music festivals including the Castlemaine Music Festival, the Ballarat Opera Festival and Opera on the Lakes in Gippsland.
For many years David has been very involved in music education, teaching at Loreto Mandeville Hall, Melbourne Grammar School and St Kevin’s College.
He has served as a piano examiner with the Australian Music Examination Board and been an official accompanist at Monash University’s School of Music and the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Music.
Ms Stipani has been the recipient of numerous vocal scholarships and awards including Opera Foundation Australia’s Covent Garden Scholarship and the American Institute of Musical Studies Award.
She studied at the National Opera Studio and with acclaimed Australian Soprano Yvonne Kenny in London, where she resided for several years.
She has sung in opera, recitals and concerts in the United Kingdom, Austria, Italy, France and Australia.
She regularly performs in concerts and recitals presenting music from a variety of musical genres.
These include opera, art song, American songbook, French cabaret and Broadway musicals.
Lorena, a versatile and engaging performer, also speaks French and Italian.
In 2022, together with pianist David McNicol, Lorena has performed a program of music she conceptualised entitled Edith Piaf — songs of love, loss & resilience at various venues.
This performance will be in the Echuca-Moama Uniting Church on the corner of Pakenham and Hare Sts, Echuca, at 2pm. Tickets are $20 at the door.