The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts at Edith Cowan University has announced that acclaimed soprano Emma Matthews will take on the role of Head of Classical Voice.

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The highly awarded Australian opera star will commence in the role in January 2018.

Since graduating in 1992 from The West Australian Conservatorium of Music (now part of WAAPA) Matthews has established herself as one of Australia’s most successful and accomplished singers.

Her impressive list of accolades includes seven Helpmann Awards, nine Green Room Awards, the Mo Award, the Remy Martin Australian Opera Award and Limelight Awards for Music Personality of the Year 2010, Best Performance in an Opera 2012 and Australian Artist of the Year 2016.

She has performed with all the state opera companies and the major Australian symphony orchestras and is equally in demand on the concert platform and as a recording artist.

Emma has been Australia’s Prima Soprano, singing with Opera Australia, for over 20 years. She has sung at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and has worked with some of the world’s finest conductors and directors.

Find out about all of WAAPA’s courses at their open day

Visit the WA Acacemy of Performing Arts next weekend and see what goes on at one of Australia’s premier cultural education facilities.

Over the years WAAPA has produced some of Australia’s best known actors, musicians and dancers. As well as many professionals acclaimed for their work behind the scenes in areas like arts management, costume design and lighting.

Look through the credits of any major musical or theatrical show that comes to Perth and you’ll see the cast’s credits peppered with WAPPA graduates.

Next weekend the acadmey which is based at Edith Cowan University’s Mount Lawley campus, is opening its doors to the public on Sunday 13 August from 10am until 3pm, for it’s annual Open Day event.

The day will showcase a wide range of performing arts courses and the school’s state-of-the-art facilities for prospective students.

WAAPA offers full-time courses in Aboriginal Theatre, Acting, Arts Management, Costume, Dance, Design, Lighting, Music, Music Theatre, Performing Arts, Props and Scenery, Sound, and Stage Management.

In addition to gaining information on these WAAPA courses, the Open Day provides opportunities to meet staff and students, visit rehearsals and classes, view exhibitions and watch performances.

Visitors will be able to sit in on voice and movement classes from the Acting and Music Theatre programs, open rehearsals of the next lot of WAAPA shows (Unleash, Momentum, Chicago and Love & Information).

Open classes and rehearsals for the Dance and BA Performing Arts programs offer an ideal opportunity to gain a better understanding of the disciplines covered by these exciting WAAPA programs.

The Composition & Music Technology students will be giving demonstrations and performances throughout the day, whilst Classical singers and instrumentalists, Jazz and Contemporary Music ensembles will be giving free concerts in the Music Auditorium and The Edith – Spiegeltent.

Students from the Production & Design program will present guided tours all day. The Behind the Scenes tour explores the machinations of theatrical production encompassing the sound and lighting studios, costume and design studios, the Academy’s state-of-the-art theatres and the Props and Scenery Construction workshop.

WAAPA Director Julie Warn said the day is a great opportunity to find out more about the courses and view the facilities.

“ECU and WAAPA’s Open Day is a great opportunity to learn about how to become part of one of Australia’s best known and respected performing arts training institutions,” Warn said. “As well as finding out more about the specific courses on offer, prospective students, their families and any interested member of the public can have a good look over ECU’s Mount Lawley campus.”

The ECU/WAAPA Open Day is from 10am – 3pm on Sunday 13 August at 2 Bradford St, Mt Lawley. There will be free parking all day across campus.

OIP Staff