A Kiwi takes Australia on a high note

One of Amber Johnson’s very first experiences with classical singing was watching her mother in the local choir.

Eight-year-old Amber Johnson was the only young child who attended the concert. She was wearing a white “princess” dress and shoes that flashed when she walked.

“They did a performance of the Messiah (Handel) which kind of changed my life,” she says. “It is still my favourite choral work ever. I sat completely still the entire hour performance in the front row, absolutely absorbed.”

According to her mother Rosalie, the audience “practically” held their breath when Amber sat down in the middle of the aisle at the front of the hall where she could see her mother perform. During the entire concert Amber did not make a sound.

This began a lifelong career for Amber. She’s only 20 and is studying at one of Sydney’s most competitive music schools. She has been singing her whole life and says she was always obsessed with music.

“Most of my young childhood was filled with musical activities, and my mother took me to every musical play group and we went to watch the buskers at the mall all the time. We used to have to follow the brass band that played at the mall from post to post and watch their set over and over again,” she laughs.

Amber’s mother, Rosalie, first realised her daughter could sing when their neighbour, a pianist, popped over the fence to tell her that Amber had a good voice. She was only 5 years old.

But the musical talent doesn’t stop or begin with Amber. The generation of musicians goes back to Amber’s great-grandmother and great-grandfather and includes seven pianists including Amber, one flute player, a composer and a guitarist.

Throughout primary school and high school Amber grew through music.

“Once I got to Stanmore Bay Primary School I thrived in the fantastic environment. They had a full time, specialist music teacher – Mrs Frances Howel. She ran amazing choirs and was the first to give me solos and dedicate time to making me a better musician.”

Howel also taught Amber to play the piano. At the end of primary school she did a solo at Kids for Kids and got recommended to Janice Webb whom she credits for her success. Webb is described by Amber’s mother as an “old school” very disciplined teacher.

Webb firmly believes the saying “attitude is everything”.

“Amber bounced into my life 12 years ago as a most enthusiastic gifted young singer. I was immediately impressed with her focus and determination despite her young age,” Webb says.

Throughout the years this dedication was apparent in all she did, Webb says. “She was always loyal to the SING concerts that I produce several times a year. The regular audience were spellbound  with her growth  of confidence as she was becoming a riveting performer.”

“Amber bounced into my life 12 years ago as a most enthusiastic gifted young singer. I was immediately impressed with her focus and determination despite her young age.” – Janice Webb

Webb Another influence on Amber’s career was Phillipa Jones who taught her music at Whangaparaoa College.

“She shaped my musicality, gave me opportunities and gave me one of the greatest musicals gifts I have ever had, the choir,” Amber says. She was a vital part of the Bellissimo choir throughout high school and also a member of the Whangaparaoa Jazz Band.

Alongside her high school education she was continuing her singing lesson with Janice Webb and sitting practical exams, and also doing an advanced diploma of voice.

She took major roles in both school and community theatre, and performed well in yearly vocal exams which helped her gain a place in the Graduate Choir in Sydney.

“I was absolutely delighted her audition won her the opportunity to attend such a respected course at Sydney University. In January I was fortunate enough to attend a house concert she gave and was thrilled at the immense progress she had made as her voice has matured,” Webb says proudly.

It’s been a team effort for the Johnson family. Her mother has been with her every step of the way. She made cakes and muffins for the concerts, helped as a camp mother at jazz camp to attending just about every concert, choir performance, band performance and musical.

Amber says the highlight of her career so far is a toss-up between singing at the Sydney Opera House in the chorus for Bernstein Mass or singing at the Coca Cola Christmas in the Park in Auckland.

After high school Amber says she had to make some hard decisions in regards to what she wanted to specialise in. She leaned toward music theatre and auditioning for the WAAPA (Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts) but knee injuries prevented her from dancing.

Instead she directed the junior girls’ choir in her final year of high school. And by this point she had been relying “heavily” on the classical side of her training.

“This is when I decided that I would go for a classical institution and potentially look at choir as a full time career option.”

She took a year off between studying and going to Sydney full time to save and to continue to work on classical technique. She stayed at Whangaparaoa College and continued to direct the junior girls’ choir and take them to the regional competition. She then flew to Sydney for three days in November 2013 to audition to become a student of BMus (Music Education) with Vocal Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, a highly regarded music institution.

“It was very stressful. I had to find my around Sydney, to the university and do a practical singing audition for a panel of four, a Theoretical and Aural Musical Skills exam and an interview,” she says.

“The idea of directing and conducting operas, perhaps independent new opera is very exciting.” – Amber Johnson 

And if that was hard to begin with, it only became harder after that. Amber says there were a few logistics to work out before she could go anywhere.

“There was a lot to do in a small amount of time. You find out you are accepted in mid Jan, by March you have to be there. I had to find a house, a job, get a bank account, superannuation account, work out the transport issue and transfer money,” she says.

And it hasn’t been a cake walk after that, she says. Since moving to Sydney she has faced difficulties like balancing work and university and dealing with the “slightly anti-New Zealander stance the Australian government have”.

Amber is no longer eligible for student travel concession, despite her being a domestic student. She cannot vote or get any help from the government. She says medical care is “hideously” expensive.

But despite all these difficulties she finds solace in spending time with her best friend and classmate Rebecca Hart. Rebecca says to relax she and Amber explore Sydney and watch movies and shop until they drop.

About Amber’s performance, Rebecca says: “When in choirs, she watches the conductor like a hawk and is a great section leader. When she performs solo, she’s always very focused and in the zone, she has great facial expressions that reflect what she’s singing about.”

On where Amber wants to be in the future, she says: “The idea of directing and conducting operas, perhaps independent new opera is very exciting. All I know for sure is that a dream job would be working with other artists or musicians, making creative decisions, facilitating creative processes to make exciting and affecting performances happen.”