Julia Booth

Academic Staff Member

Music and performing arts (theatre and voice), postgraduate supervisor

Contact info

Phone

Email

Julia.Booth@wintec.ac.nz

Location

About

Awards

Qualifications

BMus
MMus (First Class Hon)
EMT

Areas of expertise

Industry experience, affiliations, and achievements

Research activity

Select publications

What do you enjoy about teaching/your job?

I love working with individual voices. Giving students new tools to use their instruments by bringing together sound and meaning with permission to express themselves in ways they choose is deeply rewarding. Being able to work with musical theatre students as well as contemporary artists is a very happy place for me. The aesthetic freedom is vast and guiding students towards their individuality within these varied genres is a true passion. The reaction when a student hits a note they didn’t think was possible, and the transformation of self-belief that follows is hugely rewarding.

What do you love about your area?

The culture within the Music Department is what brought me to Wintec. The collaboration, respect, and comradery creates an atmosphere where I feel comfortable to create, explore, and respond to the interesting input from staff and students alike. There is freedom to contribute and create.

Tell us about your experience in the industry

I completed a Bachelor of Music (BMus) and Masters of Music (MMus) in Performance Voice with First Class Honours as a Sir Edmund Hillary Scholar (and Medal Winner) from the University of Waikato. I have been a guest artist with the NZSO, APO, CSO and OW and have debuted numerous New Zealand works including Dr Jeremy Mayall’s Flutter and award-winning film collaboration with Dan Inglis’ LOQshun., and international debut of Michael Williams’ opera The Juniper Passion.

As an experienced musical theatre performer, my credits include Phantom of the Opera (Christine), Les Miserables (Fantine), The Secret Garden (Lily) and an upcoming premiere of a New Zealand musical Mum’s Kitchen (Missy).

Since 2008 I have studied vocal pedagogy, specifically Estill Voice Training, becoming the second NZ-based Estill Master Trainer in 2015. A teaching assistant to Anne-Marie Speed (HonARAM MA (Voice Studies) CSSD ADVS PG Dip (DSL) BA (Otago)) I taught internationally in Canada, USA, UK, Europe and Australia as well throughout NZ.

Passionate about teacher training for voice teachers in NZ, I run a private voice studio and is a council member of NEWZATS.

What keeps you busy outside of Media Arts?

Family keeps life full with three young girls, a dog and 5 chickens. Country living in the city.