Kelly Hocking

Principal Voice Teacher, Vocal Technician, Teacher Trainer - NZ Wide

Kelly Hocking trained in acting, voice and dance at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. She studied singing with the late Tony Award winner, John Peck, and has gone on to study with several other renowned teachers in both classical and contemporary styles of singing.
In New Zealand, Kelly has performed in productions for The Fortune Theatre in Dunedin, The Court Theatre in Christchurch, Musical Theatre Dunedin, Taieri Musical Society, North Shore Musical Society in Auckland and in national touring productions for THETA. Credits include “Kate/Lucy” in Avenue Q, “Ellen” in Miss Saigon, “Roxie Hart” in Chicago, “Sally Bowles” in Cabaret, “Mrs. Banks” in Mary Poppins, “The Baker’s Wife” in Into The Woods, "Diva" in Priscila Queen of the Desert and "Glinda" in Wicked.  Kelly has performed as a lead vocalist with groups including The Oxo Cubans, St Kilda Brass and La Forza and is currently a member of The Divas managed by DKCM. Whilst in America she appeared in TV commercials and short films in addition to theatre.

Kelly was the first recipient of the full Level 3 certification in Applied Vocal Pedagogy and Voice Science from AtlasVoice. In 2014 she completed a course in Somatic Voicework© The LoVetri Method; which is dedicated to CCM (non-classical) styles of singing. Kelly is a mentor for voice teachers all over New Zealand and has a special interest in vocal health. 
 

Beth Waite 

Senior Coach - Dunedin

Beth Waite trained in Musical Theatre Voice at the University of Otago. She went on to receive Masters of Arts with Distinction in Theatre Studies focusing on revisionist feminist intervention adaptation theory with the creation and performance a one-woman show about Wendy Darling from J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan.

Alongside teaching, her work ranges from performance, coaching, directing and producing around Ōtepoti. Performance credits include The First Time, Chicago, I Love You - You’re Perfect - Now Change, and Ovation, for which she was nominated for an Otago Southland Theatre Award.  She was selected as an Emerging Professional for Christchurch International Musical Theatre Summer School in 2014 and 2018 where she received instruction from a robust international teaching staff including Andrea Burns and Jonathan Groff. Directing credits include Women Like Us (Little Scorpion), Now. Here. This. (Arcade Theatre Company) and Footloose (St. Hilda’s Collegiate). She was also the Vocal Director for Highlights, a celebration of Musical Theatre in collaboration with Musical Theatre Dunedin, Taieri Musical Society and Showbiz Dunedin.

She has achieved her Level 1 certification in Applied Vocal Pedagogy and Voice Science from Atlas Voice. In 2020, Beth completed Level 1 in Somatic Voicework© The LoVetri Method. She also participated in Anti-Racist Theatre (A.R.T): A Foundational Course and also holds a Mental Health First Aid from St. John’s.

Beth is passionate about creating a safe teaching space for all ages with particular consideration for neurodivergent students and alternative learning styles. She has a special interest in musical theatre repertoire selection

Ben Johnson 

Senior Coach - Dunedin

Ben is currently working towards his Bachelor of Performing Arts at the University of Otago and is expected to finish his degree at the end of 2020. His most recent performance was Musical Theatre Dunedin’s Wicked at the beginning of 2019.

Ben also has a vast background in choral music as he was a Choral Scholar at the Christchurch Cathedral from 2015-2017. At the end of 2017 Ben had the pleasure of performing with Sol3Mio in their Christmas concert. In 2018 Ben completed his level 1 TOSCA certification and, since then, has started teaching musical theatre, contemporary, and basic classical technique.

Amy Oughton

Speech Language Pathologist, Clinical Voice Specialist - NZ Wide

Amy has worked across both the paediatric and adult acute and community environments as a Speech Language Pathologist gaining knowledge and expertise in a broad range of disorders. Her passion & focus however, lies within the field of 'Voice'.

Amy is a singer and performer herself and has combined her training in performance voice with her training in Speech Pathology to create a very unique and specialised service, becoming one of the only specialised Performance Voice Speech Pathologists in Aotearoa.

Amy completed postgraduate specialist training in the field of Vocology & Laryngology with a focus on performance voice medicine', trained & mentored by Tom Burke, Speech Pathologist for Broadway & Tedtalks New York.

With a passion for 'voice' diagnostic & rehabilitation as well as a specific interest in Vocal Health & Injury Prevention for the 'healthy' vocal athlete, Amy works collaboratively with the Voice Professional team members, artist management team and the artist directly to achieve optimum results.

Amy goes above and beyond to do work with her clients, making herself available to travel across New Zealand to work on-site with artists in the studio, on stage and when on tour so they can get immediate, direct input that can be applied straight away to their craft & maximise their results.

Dr. Matthew Leaper

Otaolaryngologist, MBChB (Otago), FRACS (ORLHNS)

Matthew graduated from Otago Medical School in 1996. He has since worked in New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom gaining experience in a variety of surgical specialties. On returning to New Zealand in 2000, Matthew worked in Christchurch, Auckland, Hamilton and Dunedin, completing his specialist training in Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery in 2006, to become a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Following this Matthew completed a further two years of post-fellowship training in Perth, Australia.

Matthew works both in the public and private sector. Publicly he holds positions at Dunedin Hospital and Kew Hospital, Invercargill. Privately he operates at Mercy Hospital in Dunedin and Southern Cross Hospital, Invercargill. He holds clinics at the Marinoto Clinic in Dunedin and the Sonos Clinic in Invercargill.

Matthew has a number of publications in medical journals and is actively involved in teaching junior doctors, students and other health professionals. He is a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago Medical School.

Matthew has a passion for working with vocal athletes and ensuring they have access to diagnostic services early to ensure vocal injury is minimised, voice care management is started early, scoping is done regularly for general maintenance and artists are worked with by a specialist team to maximise overall vocal health.

Ez Zulkifly

Voice Physiotherapist - NZ Wide

Ez is a well respected Senior Physiotherapist in New Zealand and is one of the only Voice Physiotherapist in Aotearoa.

His advanced skills in Manual Therapy are highly sought after and he works holistically with artists, the wider voice team and management to ensure artists are able to excel in their craft and perform to their best with no physical barriers.

Ez graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the University of Otago. He had worked extensively in private musculoskeletal practices in Wellington and Dunedin. He completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy and a Certificate in Trigger Point Dry Needling and undertook a Master of Physiotherapy by research examining the biomechanics of the jaw.

His clinical interest is varied but has a special interest in:

• Voice Physiotherapy
• Vocal/laryngeal myofascial release
• The jaw, back, head and neck
• Orthopaedic manipulative physiotherapy
• Trigger Point Dry Needling
• Therapeutic massage
•  Relaxation massage

Ashlee Maxwell

Vocal Coach - Dunedin

Ashlee Maxwell is currently working towards her degree in psychology which she later hopes to follow through to music therapy.

Ashlee  has trained in contemporary singing with Kelly Hocking since the age of 13 and in 2018 she completed her level 1 TOSCA certification in vocal pedagogy through the voice lab.

She has performed in musical theatre and has had much experience in contemporary genres including pop, rock, blues and jazz.

In addition to performing, Ashlee is passionate about songwriting and has entered solo songwriting competitions such as Smokefree Rockquest where she placed 2nd, Lions Songwriting Foundation and Play it Strange.

In 2017, Ashlee attended the National Youth Drama School in Napier where she studied musical theatre, acapella and improvisation in drama.

Chelsea McRae

Vocal Coach - Dunedin

Chelsea holds a Bachelor of Performing Art (Music Theatre) from National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art and previously completed Grade 5 ABRSM Music Theory (Merit) and papers in Certificate and Adult Tertiary Teaching (UCOL). She has spent time working in Sydney TVC represented by Lee Leslie Management and training with Estill trainer Peter Bodnar.

Previous theatre credits include original work Bachelor Party, Cathy Hiatt - The Last Five Years, Kirsty Knight - Shortland Street the Musical, Holly Sullivan - The Wedding Singer, Candy - Working, Bridget - Ragtime, Bea - The Collective, That Bloody Woman, The Skriker, Othello, A Comedy of Errors, The Wizard of Oz, Hazel Kirk and Grease.

Currently, Chelsea works at the University of Otago and is completing her postgraduate studies in Theatre. Her special interests include working with students in Musical Theatre to help them achieve their singing and acting goals.

Bethany Cook 

Vocal Coach - Dunedin

Bethany is a singer/songwriter and musical theatre enthusiast based in Dunedin. Originally from Auckland, she came here to study at the University of Otago where she completed a Bachelor of Arts and Science, majoring in Theatre Studies and Psychology and a minor in Music. She holds a Trinity College ATCL diploma in Musical Theatre and gained acknowledgements from the university for her performance in Contemporary music and theatre. 

Bethany took part in all of her school productions growing up and recently got back into musical theatre. Last year, Bethany performed in That Bloody Woman with Taieri Musical Society and played Veronica for Heathers: The Musical with Pop Up Productions. Her main focus for 2022 is to work on her music career as a songwriter and recording artist while honing in her vocal tuition skills. She is especially keen to work with fellow songwriters and actors who want to work on their craft and storytelling through song. 

Erin Connelly-Whyte 

Vocal Coach - Dunedin