Opera Voice Training: Long term student of opera/bel canto teacher Mira Melton (2000-15). Studied in Melbourne with Afghani musician Khalil Gudaz, Jenny Thirtle and Ria Soemardjo and vocal bohl with tabla master Sam Evans.
Master Classes: Vidya Roa Hindustani classical singer, Eda Karaytuo (Istanbul, Turkey), Ustaadma Zila Khaan (New Delhi, India, Estille Voice Method, Level 2. (2010), Ashley Ramsden, Story Telling, School of Story Telling, Kent, UK (2009). Family & Children’s Mindfulness Training, Pyreneés France (2009). Robyn Archer, Melbourne International Arts Festival (2002). Frankie Armstrong, Free style singer/vocalist and improviser, London, UK (1992).
Buddhist Study: Commenced in 1998. Key teachers are Venerable Jestsunma Tenzin Palmo, Mingyur Rinpoche.
Community Development Work:
North Richmond Community Health - project coordination supporting events & gatherings for the residents/communities of North Richmond Housing Esate - 2020 - 23
BANH - Belgium Avenue Neighbourhood House - Community Events Projects 2022-23
InTouch - Womens Multicultural Domestic Violence Service - supporting producing culturally specific events for women and their children. 2019-20
Westside Circus - Community Outreach Coordinator - worked Shepparton, Brimbank, Indigenous Ed. Circus Collaboration with NMIT & Circus Oz 2018-19
Singing teach facilitator - Castlemaine Secondary School, Campbells Creek Steiner School, Brunswick East Primary School 2013 - 2017
Arts Health Institute - Therapeutic Choirs and Performance Story Support worker for people in residential aged care settings living with Parkinsons, dementia, alzheimers disease, depression and isolation. Riverina rural VIC and NSW - 2015-17
City of Yarra and Cohealth - Youth Arts Officer, Youth Worker and Community Development 20011 - 2007
Tertiary Qualifications:
Masters in Community Cultural Development from the University of Melbourne/VCA 2011
Ad.Dip Performing Theatre Arts - Victoria University 2009
Cert. 4 - Community Services - Kangan Batman Tafe 2005
In 1991 Emma completed a full year Fine Arts Foundation year at Lambeth College in London. She then was accepted into Central St Martins School of Art - with her main focus on Performance Art in Public Spaces. She did not complete her Batchelor Studies.
Life Journey: Emma has lived and travelled extensively overseas - in the UK, Italy, Europe, India and Turkey. In her early twenties in New York she had an awakening through the live performance arts and jazz music scene where she witnessed people-artists and musicians - pushing boundaries and exploring realities she had not witnessed in 1980-90’s Australia. This Instigated her to study Fine Art in London(primarily performance art practice) and follow voice studies, where she began connecting with the beginning of her own singing journey primarily through London’s rich improvisational music community joining projects and collaborations in performing, music and live singing.
Returning to Australia in the mid 90’s Emma started to focus on performance art projects that incorporated voice - from whence The Dilapidated Diva was born. This character allowed her to rip open the hidden dark seams of human constricted dualistic realities that we are all stuck in - whilst creating soft landings for her audiences through lush jazz songs of old. This project is with musician Justin Holland - embodied rhythm master.
At this same time she found her dear heart singing teacher - Mira Melton. Mira was born in the Ukraine and studied opera at St Petersburg Conservatory in Russia.