How a father's love of music took his daughter to the world stage

Australian singers Christopher and Miriam Allan connect across continents Tue 4 Aug 2026 at 8:00am How do you raise a musical child? What if she becomes more famous than you? For baritone Christopher Allan and his daughter, soprano Miriam Allan, a love of music matters more than success or fame. Christopher Allan raised his family in Newcastle, NSW. When Miriam grew up, her career took her to the UK, where she is now raising her own family in the town of Windsor. At the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns, Miriam Allan attracted international attention as the soprano in the four-person choir that accompanied Prince Philip's scaled-back funeral at St George's Chapel, Windsor. Her father watched proudly from his home in Newcastle. Despite living on opposite sides of the world, Christopher and Miriam Allan share a close bond built on their love of music and music education. Now, they're preparing to tour J.S. Bach's Coffee Cantata, showing the composer's lighter side through the story of a father trying (and failing) to stop his daughter from drinking too much coffee. We talk with Christopher and Miriam Allan about their family's love of music, navigating life across continents, and why each considers the other their favourite performing partner. On raising a musical child … Christopher: Music was always around. I've got photos of Mim [Miriam] in her bassinet underneath the harpsichord while we were rehearsing. She started piano lessons at five, and we soon realised she has perfect pitch. She joined the Cathedral choir in Newcastle when she turned six. By the time she was 18, she'd already sung on the ABC, and done some professional gigs with the Song Company. I was teaching at Newcastle Conservatorium when Miriam decided to study music. We had to arrange for her to be taught by a teacher from another university. Otherwise, it would've been impossible to assess her. On having a musical parent … Miriam: I have so many memories of sitting down at the piano and playing with Dad when I was a little kid. I remember seeing Dad sing on major stages, including the Sydney Opera House, when I was a teenager. And Dad was involved in a huge number of education projects where he would get kids singing in any way, shape or form. He showed me how to make music, how to make it big, and how to make it accessible. Without that role modelling, I genuinely wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now. And I don't think a number of kids who grew up in Newcastle would be either. On singing at Prince Philip's funeral … Miriam: When the Duke of Edinburgh passed away, there were COVID protocols regarding social distancing, including allowing only three singers to perform at one time. For the funeral, it was decided at the highest levels of government that they could indeed have four singers. And so, the Director of Music, who at the time lived in a house behind mine, came round and spoke to me through the window and asked if I would do the service. I'd been sworn to secrecy, but I said to the powers that be, "Is it possible I could just let my dad know?" Christopher: It was huge for me to watch Miriam, for a whole lot of reasons. I emigrated here from England at the age of seven. So, it's interesting to me that Mim has gone back and lived there when my parents came to Australia to give my siblings and me a better life. The Queen and Prince Philip were very important figures in our house. It's that kind of level of pride and enjoyment, and just the sheer thought of "we're from Newcastle; things like this don't happen." For Miriam to take part in that was a huge honour for her. On keeping musically connected across continents Miriam: We do talk a lot, especially about music and music education, because I'm a music educator too. We send each other articles that we read or things that we find interesting, and we talk about students a lot. Christopher: Until COVID put a dent in things, we'd see each other every 18 months or so. Miriam: It's not uncommon, when I come back to Australia or when Dad comes to the UK, for me to sit poor old Dad at a piano, hand him a whole stack of music, and say: "Off we go." On being father and daughter on stage … Christopher: If any of my children wanted to do something and their mother had said no, they would say, "It always works with Daddy." In the Bach cantata we'll be performing, there's a conversation where the father tells his daughter to give up drinking so much coffee, and the daughter says, "I'm not giving up my coffee." And I can just hear my own children as teenagers going, "Yeah, whatever. We're going to do what we want anyway because it always works with Daddy." Miriam: Coffee is the subject of this cantata, but the disagreement between father and daughter could be replaced with just about anything. But the hilarious thing is that Dad loves coffee and I cannot stand the stuff. I do love a cup of tea, though. So, if anyone out there wants to bring me a cuppa, I probably won't say no. This interview has been edited for clarity. Christopher and Miriam Allan will be performing with Bach Akademie Australia from August 5–16 in Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra and Glenbrook.