THE JOURNEY: song, music, creation, teachers & communities Opera Voice Training 1998-2015: 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 where 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. Master Classes:
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).
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 held a BA in Comparative Religion and published the first article in Australia on the interconnection of persons lack of universe/earth story and extreme mental illnesses.
Arts and Community Development Education and Work:
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
Work History:
Royal Melbourne Hospital 2024 - 2026 Information coordination
North Richmond Community Health - project coordination supporting events & gatherings for the residents/communities of North Richmond Housing Esate - 2020 - 2023
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. Project Facilitator for 3 Childrens Books with Refugee Mothers & Children 2018-19
Singing teacher 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
North Richmond Community Health - Moonlantern Festival Project Coordinator 2011
City of Yarra and Cohealth - Youth Arts Officer, Youth Worker and Community Development 20011 - 2007
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.
SINGING CREATIVE ARTS & PERFORMANCE JOURNEY
Current – est 1998 The Dilapidated Diva Cabaret music art-performance show. 2025 – Melb. Int. Comedy Festival Season https://www.emmabathgate.com/the-dilapidated-diva (Awards: Green Room Award, Best of the Melb.Fringe Fest, Best NewComer MICF) Performed Brisbane, Adelaide & Sydney Cabaret Festivals and many shows in Melbourne.
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 project celebrating all things Burt Bacharach & free improvisation – musicians Simon Eszkey, Dan Witton & Renato Vacirca.
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
SINGING TEACHING & WORKSHOPS
2006 – CURRENT PRIVATE VOICE LESSONS & VOCAL RESONANCE SINGING WORKSHOPS Melbourne/Naarm
2017 Castlemaine Secondary College – individual Lessons for Students
2015 Steiner School Castlemaine - individual Lessons for Students
2013 – 2016 Brunswick East Primary School - individual Lessons for Students
OTHER Projects & Training:
2009 Story Telling Workshop (2 days) with Ashley Ramsden founder of the School of Story Telling – Kent, UK
2005 Family & Children’s Mindfulness Training – Lerab Ling, France
2013 – 2004 Young people & Children’s Mindfulness Retreat - Rigpa Annual Retreats – Myall Lakes NSW
Awards:
1999 Best Newcomer Melbourne International Comedy Festival 1999,
2001 Best of the Fringe Melbourne Fringe Festival 2002 Award for Most Outstanding Cabaret Green Room Awards