Help me get to the USA

My name is Emily Scott. I am 25 years old and ever since I was a child I have dreamt of becoming a professional singer. Recently I was accepted into a two year Masters Degree in Classical Voice Performance at one of America's premier institutions - the University of California, Los Angeles. I need to raise a total $120,000.00 in order to cover the costs of my tuition and living expenses for the duration of the course. I am fortunate enough to have earned a partial scholarship through UCLA, and to receive some financial support through the Dame Malvina Major Foundation and North Harbour Club. By donating to my Boosted Project you will be helping me raise the remaining $30,000.00 required to cover the associated living expenses of my Artists Masters Programme at the University of California.

ABOUT ME

Ever since I can remember I have loved to sing and perform for people. Whether it was serenading passengers at the Devonport Ferry Terminal with a rendition of Downtown when I was 10 years old or recently in New Zealand Opera's abridged production of The Barber of Seville: A Close Shave (fetaured in my video) as Rosina, where we performed to almost 7000 children around New Zealand, being able to affect and entertain others with my singing has always been my greatest passion. When I left school I pursued a Bachelor of Science and it wasn't until the end of the degree that I realised I had lost my way.

On the advice of a wonderful teacher that I had met through my days as a student at Kristin School - a place to which I will always owe my first immersion into the performing arts world with their choirs, musical theatre productions, jazz bands, theatre and inspiring teachers - who convinced me that I should look at pursuing opera and classical singing. Up to that point my background was more heavily involved in muscial theatre and I was both excited and daunted by the prospect of this new direction. I auditioned and was accepted to the Auckland University Music School, studying Classical Performance in Voice and have been on such an incredible journey every since. Everything has fallen into place and I feel as though I found where my heart and voice truly lie.

In May this year I graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Classical Voice Performance from the University of Auckland under the tutelage of Patricia Wright, one of New Zealand's leading lyric sopranos. In 2014 I received my first professional experience as part of New Zealand Opera's Chapman Tripp Chorus and shortly after I became one of their Dame Malvina Major Emerging Artists. I made a brief mainstage debut as Clorinda (a role that I was understudying) in New Zealand Opera's 'La Cenerentola,' for the Auckland season's public dress rehearsal. I will make my official debut performing the role of Kate Pinkerton in 'Madame Butterfly' in July.

WHY UCLA?

The United States is renowned worldwide for being one of the best technical centers for teaching voice, and I appreciate that this is an attribute from which I would benefit. The Artists Masters Programme will aim to prepare me for a profession career through intensive diction coaching in six different languages, weekly rehearsals, regular coaching, and performances for lessons, recitals, master classes, auditions, and other related activities. In addition to this I will have regular coaching with faculty members, weekly performance class, and rehearsals. 

I will be studying under the tutelage of Juliana Gondek (HOD for Classical Voice), who recently visited New Zealand on the invitation of Dame Malvina Major. I was very fortunate to learn from her during this time and found that we worked well together. She has an extensive background in performance and teaching, including performing with 150 major orchestras and opera companies worldwide and collaborations with musical luminaries such as Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein.

Juliana is supported by a wonderful team at UCLA - whom I will be working with - such as Peter Kazaras (Director of Opera Studies) - prior to this he was HOD for the Young Artists Program at Seattle Opera, and had a career as an operatic tenor: performances include La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall) - who for the past ten years has worked with great success as a stage director and teacher. The lecturer and director of Opera Studies, Rakefet Hak is one of the youngest pianists to ever join the Metropolitan Opera musical staff as the coach for the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. She soon joined the main company as assistant conductor and coach on a variety of productions and has coached and performed alongside such notable singers as Rene Fleming, Placido Domingo, Cecilia Bartoli and Bryn Terfel.

Come with me

Thank you so much for taking time to read through my Boosted Campaign. If you want to know more and stay up to date with my progress, please follow my artist page on Facebook: Emily Scott - Soprano.

Emily