Rate My Professor Arlie McCormick

Arlie McCormick is a Senior Professional Practice Fellow in the School of Performing Arts at the University of Otago, specializing in contemporary and musical theatre voice. She holds a Bachelor of Music (MusB) and a Master of Music (MMus) in Vocal Pedagogy from Griffith University. In her role, she coordinates MUSI 144, 244, and 344 Music Ensemble papers and teaches extensively across performance studies, including MUSI 143, 243, and 343 Instrumental or Vocal Performance 1, 2, and 3; MUSI 140, 240, and 340 Performance Studies 1, 2, and 3; contributions to THEA 153 Voice and Movement and PERF 301 Performance Project. She also delivers summer school papers such as MUSI 249/349 Contemporary Vocal Pedagogy: How to Teach Contemporary Voice and MUSI 260 Pop Vocals and Recording. As Kaiāwhina Māori, she provides support for Māori students in Music, Theatre Studies, and Performing Arts. She teaches on the Bachelor of Music Contemporary Voice degree, the Bachelor of Performing Arts Musical Theatre Voice degree, and postgraduate Voice Studies.

McCormick's research interests include contemporary vocal pedagogy, challenges in new musical theatre, differences between classical and contemporary voice setups, and benefits of singing in groups. An accomplished performer and vocal director, she received the Otago Southland Theatre Award for her role as the Bird Woman in Mary Poppins. Her directing includes Jersey Boys and The Addams Family, and she co-founded Pop Up Productions, staging Heathers the Musical and Spring Awakening. Performance highlights encompass soloist with Dunedin Symphony Orchestra in ABBA Concert and Simply the Best, her Burt Bacharach tribute What's It All About, Arlie?, cabaret tours, and theatre roles like Diana in Next to Normal. Key contributions include performances documented as Music Programme Showcase: From Bach to Broadway and Heathers: The Musical. She serves as President of the New Zealand Association of Teachers of Singing (He Wai Kōmako).