Meet Erin Blackie of Erin Blackie Academy in Camberwell Junction

For generations, children and adults have been able to channel their passion for singing at a respected singing school in Camberwell.

Erin Blackie Singing Academy, located in the heart of Camberwell Junction, offers vocal coaching to anyone looking to develop or improve their singing skills.

The school caters to one-on-one coaching and group coaching, and offers students a range of opportunities including performance, competitions, collaborations and networking.

As an advanced level vocal coach, Erin Blackie brings more than 20 years’ experience to her teaching role. Ms Blackie trained with Jaanz International Singing Academy, starting out as a student in 2000 before she became a vocal coach in 2005, and now runs her own business coaching others who have a passion for singing.

“I first came to the school as a professional singer but wanted to work on certain techniques. I was invited by David Jaanz to attend the Master School where I further developed my personal style,” Ms Blackie said.

She teaches the technique of emotion centred singing, which is something she has become known for.

A singing school for all levels, all ages, all goals

Ms Blackie said the singing classes were suited to people of all levels, all ages, and all goals – anyone who loves singing and is eager to learn.

People come to the academy for many different reasons – some want to learn how to sing for the first time, some want to improve their existing technique, while others simply want to fulfil a personal interest or hobby.

“Not everyone is here for a career. Some people come to do singing lessons purely for enjoyment, or as an outlet for stress relief, or because they want to sound good at karaoke,” she said.

“Some people just like the idea that they’re going to sound good doing a song and want to be able to reach that point. But there certainly are people who are professional and continue to develop their techniques.”

Ms Blackie takes a holistic approach with her students, and she encourages uniqueness through tailored coaching.

“It’s all about the singer and what they do best, and bringing that out in them,” Ms Blackie said.

The school also has a big focus on encouraging its students, rather than making it a competitive environment.

“Confidence is such a big part of singing. Most people have some sort of need to work on that because it isn’t that natural to get up in front of a huge crowd and share your inner most feelings through song. And a big part of what we cultivate here is developing those skills and developing that confidence and motivation in people,” Ms Blackie said.

Finding community through song

For students at the school, it’s not just about singing. Many of them enjoy making like-minded friends and finding a community with a common passion for music.

To foster this community, the Erin Blackie Singing Academy connects students to singing workshops, personal development and mindset coaching, and vocal technique training.

Students get to meet and work with special guests, songwriters and other students across the school, allowing them to seek inspiration and feel energised in taking the next step in their singing journey.

Connection to the singing world beyond the classroom

One of the biggest appeals of joining Erin Blackie Singing Academy is the many performance opportunities that the school offers its students.

Ms Blackie said students are invited to participate in regular performances to ensure they get access to regular practice.

“We believe you don’t get really good at being a performer by just doing a concert at the end of the year. Regular practice is better for building confidence and experience,” said Ms Blackie.

Even throughout lockdowns, the school maintained this frequent performance aspect online to continue giving students the chance to practice regularly.

The school also connects students to competitions, where they contend against other singers and have their singing skills assessed by judges. Ms Blackie said one of her students recently won top place in the Boroondara Eisteddfod.

At the Jaanz school where Ms Blackie was previously a coach, students were renowned for winning and placing in finalist positions at prestigious singing competitions such as The Voice, X Factor and Australia’s Got Talent.

Ms Blackie’s school has helped its students to achieve top scores for VCE Music Performance and secure leading roles in musicals.

Ms Blackie said regular events and group singing classes also gives students networking opportunities, with many of them collaborating outside the classroom to perform and work on music.

External companies often contact the academy to let them know about upcoming auditions and competitions, and often connect students to performance opportunities.

For every student who comes to the school, Ms Blackie hopes they get “a good feeling and a sense of achievement, whatever that may be”.

“We really want our students to be in a place where they feel good about themselves.”

Visit the school

A rich arts and culture scene is on offer in Camberwell, with plenty of local businesses offering opportunities to explore a new skill or talent.

Whether you want to try your hand at life drawing, perfect your singing or learn the salsa, you can do so right here in Camberwell.

Here are three places in Camberwell that give you the chance to learn a new creative skill:

1. Sing, sing, sing!

With master coach David Jaanz leading the method of Emotion Centred Singing, you can learn to sing with confidence at the David Jaanz School of Singing in Camberwell. Mr Jaanz has mentored many people who have gone on to experience huge success, including winner of The Voice Harrison Craig, winner of Australia’s Got Talent Bonnie Anderson, Matt Corby, Nathaniel, Delta Goodrem and others.

Singing lessons are also available at Viva School of Music.

2. Get arty

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to create stunning life portraits or develop basic drawing skills then check out Camberwell Community Centre – they offer a range of art classes and workshops, as well as clay and pottery in their ceramics studio.

Indulge your inner artist with a couple of hours in front of the easel at a chic sip n’ paint studio worthy of your next special occasion at Frida’s Sip N’ Paint.

3. Just dance

The Secret Garden of Dance offers dance classes including salsa, bachata, Afro Cuban, and mambo. Their social dancing schedule includes styles like swing, tango, Latin, ballroom, and Michael Jackson lessons. The school also helps people to prepare dances for special occasions like weddings.