EMMA’s JOURNEY in song, music, creation, teachers & communities

TEACHERS: Emma had the great fortune to be a student of opera/bel canto teacher Mira Melton. Mira was born in the Ukraine, she grew up singing and playing piano and trained at the St Petersburg Conservatorium in Russia. Mira migrated to Australia with her husband and daughter after the unrest in the Ukraine in the 1980’s. Many Melbourne singers were students of the great Mira - who passed away on the Winter Solstice in 2015 and touched many peoples lives with her incredible knowledge and teaching. Emma was Mira’s student from1998-2015.

Buddhist Study & Journeys into the Sacred: In1998 Emma commenced studying Buddhism. Her key teachers are Venerable Jestsunma Tenzin Palmo, Mingyur Rinpoche & Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. Emma aims to incorporates what she has learnt from this path into her own music, her teaching practice and voice workshops for others.

She has completed 20 Retreats and 50 Workshops with teachers H.H the Dalai Lama, H.H the Kharmapa, Robina Courtin, Jetsun Kushala, Sakya Trinzen, Chagdud Khandro Rinpoche, Sogyal Rinpoche, Orgyen Topgyal Rinpoche, Dzogchen Rinpoche, Rhabjum Rinpoche and Yangsi Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche - including her key teachers - here in Australia, Tibet, India, Nepal, Germany and France.

Emma grew up in a house hold of 5 older siblings & her parents that worked in psychiatry & mental health work. Both her parents worked as a team - and were part of the forerunners in Australia of transpersonal therapy, family therapy and worked very much in collaboration. Her father was an eminent jungian psychiatrist Dr David Bathgate - who held a BA in Comparative Religion and published the first article in Australia on the interconnection of persons lack of universe/earth story, schizophrenia and associated mental illnesses.

Emma’s mother Gillian Jill Bathgate- is a retired nurse and trained in holistic body work/massage along with becoming a student of Michael Harner(USA) and First Nations women from the Kimberly Derby River regions who shared and taught Jill in the work of soul retrieval / Narrative Therapies.

Master Classes with;

  • Vidya Roa - Hindustani classical singer & Ustaadma Zila Khaan (New Delhi, India, 2011

  • Eda Karaytuo (Istanbul, Turkey)2009

  • 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).

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

Batchelor Fine Arts - Central St Martins London UK. 1992-94

Fine Arts Foundation, Lambeth College London UK 1991

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. In the early 2000’s Emma also commenced working in community - as a arts music worker - as well as in community cultural development for local government, public health sector and arts organisations.

SINGING PERFORMANCE JOURNEY 

Current – est 1998   The Dilapidated Diva https://www.emmabathgate.com/the-dilapidated-diva       

She is the Winner of:

  • 1999 Best Newcomer - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

  • 2001 Best of the Fringe - Melbourne Fringe Festival

  • 2002 GREEN ROOM AWARD for Most Outstanding Cabaret for show Terra Paradiso

  • Cabaret music art-performance show. Recent show for Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2025

2025-2021        Butoh Out 2025, 24, 23 & 22 working alongside Yumi Umiumare Butoh Master and fine artist Jacqui Stockdale and many many others - Butoh Out Shows were seminal events held at the Abbotsford Convent & ColourFool Show at Dance House 2021 https://www.butohout.com

2023     Benalla Festival – The Outlaws Inn – Jacqui Stockdale live performance Art Installation in partnership with Bennalla Art Gallery and The Village Festival      https://www.jacquistockdale.com

2022     Somebody’s Daughter theatre company – Show Chapel Off Chapel – She Swallowed That Lie

2020-2017     The Church of Burt – Music performance project celebrating all things Burt Bacharach & free improvisation – musicians Simon Eszkey, Dan Witton & Renato Vacirca & Jim Dunlop

2015 – 2013 TORQUE SHOW with MICHELLE RYAN
INTIMACY – theatre dance show directed by Ingrid Weisfelt. Seasons: Malthouse Theatre Melbourne & Southbank Centre London UK, Adelaide Festival Centre. Professional Showing - Brisbane’s Power House. (Winner of Australian Dance Award’s Outstanding Achievement Award to principle Michelle Ryan)                                   http://www.torqueshow.net.au/torqueshow.net.au/Intimacy.html

2013      Fly By Night – Season Hamer Hall, Melbourne. Melinda Hetzel – Theatre Director & Creator

2013     Tony Yap Dance Company  Winter Filament, Light in Winter Festival Federation Square, Melbournewww.tonyyapdance.com

2010   The Snuff Puppets  – The Snuff Club    North Melbourne Town Hall - Melbourne Fringe Festival      snuffpuppets.com

2009 – 1999     Shima – Improvisational music trio with harpist Natalia Mann & percussionist Naomi Jean

2000       Melbourne Jazz Festival Vocalist in Tim O’Dwyers Sun Ra project

2002-1998     ODD Productions Melbourne - Producers: Rebecca Rutter, Loren Lockwood, Kerry Serle & Remo Vallance.Performing as part of large-scale live theatre events roaming etc

Community Arts Music Development Work History:

  • Vocal Resonance Workshop Coordinator - Current

  • Private Singing Teaching Current - est. 2005.

  • Information coordination - Royal Melbourne Hospital 2024 - 2026

  • Community Cultural Development Coodinator - North Richmond Community Health - Frontline worker Covid Safety. Project management, role out, supporting events & gatherings in consultation & alongside residents/communities of North Richmond Housing Esate. 2020 - 2023

  • Community Events Project Worker - BANH - Belgium Avenue Neighbourhood House Richmond Housing Estate. 2022-23

  • Events Coordator - InTouch - Womens Multicultural Domestic Violence Service - supporting producing culturally specific large scale events in consultation with & for women and their children. Diwali Event, Christmas Holiday Event. 2019-20

  • Community Outreach Coordinator - Westside Circus - Implementation and production of workshops in Shepparton, Brimbank, Indigenous Ed. Circus Collaboration with NMIT & Circus Oz.

  • Project Facilitator & Project Artist for 3 Childrens Books with Refugee Mothers & Children- Through Westide Circus, Preston Mosque Womens Group, Refugee Resettlement Hume & Darebin. 2018-19

  • Singing teacher facilitator - Castlemaine Secondary School, Campbells Creek Steiner School, Brunswick East Primary School 2013 - 2017

  • Therapeutic Choirs and Performer Actor - Arts Health Institute - for people in residential aged care settings living with Parkinsons, dementia, alzheimers disease, depression and isolation. Riverina rural VIC and NSW - 2015-17

  • Moonlantern Festival Project Coordinator - North Richmond Community Health 2011

  • Youth Arts Officer, Youth Worker and Community Development Officer - City of Yarra and Cohealth Collingwood & NRHS Richmond- 20011 - 2007

  • Napier Studios Graffiti Project Coordinator - City of Yarra 2006-2011

  • Child Protection Residential Support worker Berry St, Dep. Human Services. 2005.

  • Arts Project Worker - supporting homeless men to engage in their life stories through photos and writing. St Mary’s House of Welcome - Fitzroy 2005

  • Music Project Worker - young people incarcerated - Parkville Juvenille Justice Centre 2004

Buddhist and Meditation Training:

2013 – 2004      Young people & Children’s Mindfulness Retreat workshop facilitator - Rigpa Annual Retreats – Myall Lakes NSW

2011 Meditation Instructor Training - Rigpa Fitzroy Supported weekly meditation sessions open to the public.

2005     Family & Children’s Mindfulness Training – With Shambala Lead teachers - Lerab Ling, France