INTERNATIONAL VOICE TEACHER

Neil Baker is an internationally respected voice teacher and baritone, and Professor of Vocal Studies at the Royal College of Neil Baker is an internationally respected voice teacher and baritone, and Professor of Vocal Studies at the Royal College of Music in London. A graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and Royal College of Music, he completed his training at the Dutch National Opera Academy with renowned pedagogue Margreet Honig. His performing career has taken him to major opera houses, concert halls and festivals across Europe, including the Salzburg Festival, Barbican Centre, Théâtre du Châtelet and Concertgebouw.

Neil began teaching in 2003 and has since established an international reputation for the development of young singers. His students perform at many of the world’s leading opera houses, including the Royal Opera House, Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Vienna State Opera and Bavarian State Opera. Over the past decade, he has devoted himself entirely to vocal pedagogy and the artistic development of emerging singers.

At NYOA, Neil works closely with young artists on vocal technique and the demands of developing a voice for a professional career. He is passionate about helping singers build a secure, healthy technique while developing the confidence, independence and artistry to find their own voice as performers..

INTERNATIONAL STAGE DIRECTOR

John Wilkie is a Scottish director of opera and theatre whose work has been seen across the UK, Europe and New Zealand. With a background in both music and acting, John is passionate about helping young artists discover how music, character and dramatic intention come together on stage. His approach centres on focused, authentic storytelling and a nurturing, collaborative rehearsal environment in which emerging performers can take risks and develop their own artistic instincts.

John has worked with companies and organisations including the Royal Opera House, Garsington Opera, Scottish Opera, Opera Holland Park, New York City Opera, Opéra National du Rhin and Danish National Opera. His production of Il segreto di Susanna for Opera Holland Park was nominated for Best Production at the 2021 International Opera Awards.

John is a member of the artistic teams of Festival Opera and National Youth Opera Aotearoa and has a longstanding commitment to developing emerging singers in Aotearoa. At NYOA, he leads stagecraft and directs fully staged productions, giving young artists the opportunity to develop the dramatic, collaborative and professional skills required for a career on the operatic stage.

INTERNATIONAL MUSIC DIRECTOR

José Aparicio is a Spanish conductor, educator and Artistic Director whose work spans opera, symphonic and choral repertoire. Trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, he has conducted ensembles and productions across Europe and New Zealand, bringing extensive professional experience to both the concert platform and the development of emerging artists.

José is a founding team member and Artistic Director of Prima Volta Charitable Trust and has been central to Project Prima Volta since its inception in 2013. Through PPV, Festival Opera and now National Youth Opera Aotearoa, he has helped build a pathway that enables young singers and musicians to move from their earliest experiences of classical music into increasingly demanding professional environments.

Alongside his conducting, José works closely with young artists as a teacher and mentor, developing musicianship, performance skills and the discipline required for professional practice. At NYOA, he brings these strands together, giving emerging artists the opportunity to work within the expectations and intensity of a professional operatic rehearsal and performance environment.

INTERNATIONAL RÉPÉTITEUR

Su Choung is an Australian opera répétiteur and collaborative pianist based in the United Kingdom. A graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, she was a Young Artist with Melba Opera Trust before moving to London to join the National Opera Studio’s Young Artist Programme. Su Choung BIO 2026

Su has worked with leading opera companies and festivals in the UK and Australia, including Glyndebourne Festival, Garsington Opera, Welsh National Opera, Opera Holland Park, Waterperry Opera Festival, Opera Australia and Victorian Opera. Her work spans répétiteur, chorus and music staff roles, including Music Director for Waterperry Opera Festival’s The Diary of Anne Frank and Children’s Chorus Master and répétiteur for Opera Australia’s national tour of La Bohème. Su Choung BIO 2026

At NYOA, Su brings extensive experience working within professional opera environments to the development of young singers, supporting them in the detailed musical preparation, ensemble skills and collaborative practice required to take a role from rehearsal into performance.