Meet the Team
Our Committee
Arlie McCormick, President
Arlie McCormick holds a master’s degree in Vocal Pedagogy from the Queensland Conservatorium and hails from Brisbane. She is currently a Senior Professional Practice Fellow in Voice at the University Otago and teaches on the Bachelor of Music Contemporary Voice degree, The Bachelor of Performing Arts Musical Theatre Voice degree as well as teaching across several other papers including post-graduate Voice Studies. Arlie is also an actress, musician, and Vocal Director.Prior to the move to Aotearoa Arlie taught at Griffith University, JMC Academy and several schools and dance schools. In addition to this Arlie performed in a number of musicals (Calamity Jane, The Boy from Oz, I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change, Next to Normal) and also toured extensively throughout Australia with ‘Babushka Cabaret’.Since the move to NZ in mid 2016, Arlie has focused on teaching across several genres specialising in safe vocal technique. Her focus is predominantly on contemporary and musical theatre voice and more recently working alongside her original music students and assisting with their songwriting. Alongside her teaching she still maintains a busy schedule as a working professional musician as a singer and pianist for numerous bands.Arlie’s passion for all things singing, has led to extensive travel from Hawkes Bay to Te Anau and everywhere in between, visiting schools, taking workshops, master classes, teaching, and adjudicating. Her main priority is to share her love of singing and encourage others to find the joy.
Zara Ballara
Co-Vice President
Leisha Bell
Administrator
James Harrison
Committee Member
Kylie Todd
Committee Member
Michelle Keating
Co-Vice President
Jo Kelsey
Committee Member
Amy Oughton
Committee Member
Jenny Wollerman
Committee Member
Our Patron
Simon O'Neill
New Zealand Tenor
Every great journey begins with a single step and in writing this note I have been fondly remembering the singing teachers who fostered my efforts over the years.
For that reason I was absolutely delighted and thrilled to be invited to be patron of NEWZATS, an organization which brings together those singing teachers and mentors who provide the environment for those first singing steps and beyond, and who foster and mentor their students' development and for some, their career in singing.
Thank you for allowing me the honour of being your patron.
Simon is an alumnus of the University of Otago, Victoria University of Wellington, the Manhattan School of Music and the Juilliard Opera Center. He is a Fulbright Scholar, was awarded the 2005 Arts Laureate of New Zealand and was a grand finalist in the 2002 Metropolitan Opera National Auditions returning as guest artist in 2007. (He also appears on the 1998 New Zealand one-dollar performing arts postage stamp!)
He has rapidly established himself as one of the finest Helden-tenors on the international stage being a principal artist with Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, La Scala and both the Bayreuth and Salzburg Festivals appearing in the roles of Siegmund, Parsifal, Lohengrin, Gran Sacerdote, Jenik, Sergei, Tamino, Max, Florestan, Siegfried, Otello and Cavaradossi.
Over the past decade, Simon has worked with many of the world's foremost conductors, including James Levine, Riccardo Muti, Valery Gergiev, Antonio Pappano, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir Colin Davis, Daniele Gatti, Edo de Waart, Bertrand de Billy, Donald Runnicles and Pietari Inkinen. His impressive discography includes his debut solo award winning album; Father and Son, Wagner Scenes and Arias.
In spite of a demanding and busy international schedule, Simon has always demonstrated a strong commitment to the development and progress of young NZ singers and musicians. This has been highlighted by his appointment as teaching fellow in 2012 at the New Zealand School of Music where he will be of immeasurable help to aspiring performers.
Immediate Past President
Julia Booth
Julia Booth is an educator, voice consultant and singer.
A passionate advocate for teacher training and vocal function, Julia has studied vocal pedagogy for over a decade.
As a soprano, Julia completed a Masters of Music (Performance Voice - First Class Honours) and has performed with NZO, NZSO, CSO, APO, OW, TWSO and premiered numerous NZ works including Michael Williams' opera The Juniper Passion and Dr Jeremy Mayall's award-winning collaboration with visual artist Dan Inglis LOQshun. Musical theatre credits include Phantom of the Opera (Christine), Les Misérables (Fantine), The Secret Garden (Lily) and Tell Me on Sunday (Girl).
A certified Estill Master Trainer, Julia has taught internationally in Vancouver, NYC, London, Helsinki and throughout New Zealand. Having previously taught classical voice at the University of Waikato and University of Canterbury she is now Head of Voice at the School of Media Arts (Performance Music Degree) at Wintec, Hamilton.
Julia works with a range of styles and singers from musical theatre to contemporary singer/songwriters. She maintains a boutique children's voice studio and consults privately with professional singers and speech clients. A voice coach to musical theatre performers, Julia has worked on a number of shows including Les Misérables, Chess, We Will Rock You and Hairspray. Recent workshops for teachers include Pop for Sops, Estill: Application for Kids, Intro to Estill and ongoing practice groups for teachers.
Julia is passionate about kapa haka, eliciting vocal creativity and the connection between efficient voice use and personal wellbeing. She embraces interdisciplinary collaboration across osteopathy, pilates, speech language therapy, acoustics and performance psychology and is excited to embark on new research in 2021.
Julia lives in Hamilton with her husband and three young girls.