VOICE MUSIC TRAING:
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 & 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: Emma commenced studying & practicing Buddhism in 1998. Key teachers are Venerable Jestsunma Tenzin Palmo, Mingyur Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche & many others great teachers. She incorporates what she has learnt into her own music, her teaching practice and voice workshops for others.
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.
Emma Bathgate Singer - Musician - Performer & Teacher
ARTS BIO JOURNEY
2025 – 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 at 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
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, Melbourne
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
1998 – 2002 ODD Productions Melbourne Performing as part of large-scale live theatre events roaming etc.
TEACHING & WORKSHOPS
2006 – CURRENT PRIVATE VOICE LESSONS & VOCAL SINGING WORKSHOPS (Venues: Ergo Yoga Space Coburg, Abbotsford Convent, North Melbourne St Mary’s Hall) Melbourne
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 with Ashley Ramsden – UK
Northcote Town Hall – 2 days (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
2004 St Marys House of Welcome Creative Story Project with elder men experiencing homelessness – City of Yarra
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
SINGING MUSIC TRAINING
2016 TaKeTiNa – Body Pulse Training
2015 – 1998 Bel Canto ~ Opera Voice Singing Training
Teacher: Mira Melton
Ongoing - 2012 Alexander Technique
Teachers: Jenny Thirtle & Ria Somardjo North Fitzroy Alexander School
2012 – 2011 Indian Vocal Rhythm Training (Vocal Tabla “Bol”)
Teacher: Sam Evans (Master of Tabla)
2011 – 2009 Eastern Singing Training: Eda Karaytuo (Istanbul Turkey), Ustaadma Zila Khaan (New Delhi India) & Ustaad Khalil Gudaz (Afghanistan - Melbourne)
2010 Estille Voice Method - Level 2
2002 Master Class with Robyn Archer - Melbourne International Arts Festival
1992 Frankie Armstrong – Free style singer/vocalist and improviser - London, UK
1991 Jazz Singing Classes, New York - Private