Melanie Atma (A.MUS.A), Cert !V in Training and Assessment

Melanie is a member of the sessional staff at NMIT's Performing Arts Department where she teaches singing and takes classes in Vocal Workshop and Performance.

She presents specialist workshops with students of all ages and varied musical interests and appears as a guest vocal teacher in the broader community.

With over 20 years of teaching experience and an on-going career as a musician, songwriter and performer, from the opera stage to the jazz club, Melanie offers a rich and valuable tuition to her students.

• Vocal Technique
  Melanie provides her students with a strong vocal technique grounded firmly in classical training. A student with the desire for control and mastery over his/her voice will delight in the many and varied posibilities that a strong technique has to offer and
  will in every way be encouraged to overcome
  technical difficulties in an interesting, fun and relaxed way.
  
  

• Style and interpretation
  Students train in vocal technique to develop an ease
  in singing over their entire range, but different styles
  of music and song have varying tonal needs and stylistic requirements. Students are trained to
  develop a sense of phrasing to shape the vocal line as a sculptor would his clay and develop a palette of colors with which to paint their emotion. Phrasing
  and color are important aspects of Style and Interpretation.
  
  
  
  
  
• Performance Skills
  Performing can be the most enthrawlling as well as frightening of all experiences in life. Performing can only be mastered with practice and a good approach, so students are encouraged to get up and do it as much as possible.There are many performance skills to learn to make sharing the gift of one's voice nothing but pure enjoyment.
  
  
  
  
  
• Repertoire
  Students will most often already have an idea of
  what kind of music they want to sing or a particular style of music that they love... there is some amazing music out there, but when it comes to developing one's own personal repertoire there are many factors to be considered. Most importantly the song must suit the individual...but then there are many different types of repertoire: repertoire to sing for personal enjoyment, repertoire to extend one's technique, band or concert repertoire, audition repertoire...
  
  
  
  
  
• Improvisation
  Impro is an important aspect of music and is an expressive and creative tool for all singers.
  Depending on the style of music it has a varying degree of implementation, but students are encouraged to develop impro skills and in turn develop their aural skills.
  
  
  
  
  
• Charts and Arrangements
  For many singers involved in band work developing their personal repertoire also requires having charts and arrangements. Students are encouraged to develop writing skills so as to be able to transpose charts from original keys into keys of their choice. Melanie can also help students with transcription
  and arrangements.
  
  
  
  
  
• Recording
  Melanie coaches students in preparation for recording and assists with project development.
  
  Interested students can contact Mel on 0425 806 323
  or email: