NIDA lecturer visits the Drama Department

In January and February this year, The University of Pretoria was host to visiting voice teacher Gavin Leahy from The National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), Australia’s leading institute for education and training in the dramatic arts.

Under the guidance of Prof. Marth Munro and Morné Steyn, Gavin, a recent graduate of NIDA’s MFA (voice) programme, undertook an international teaching placement as a final component to his degree. During his time in Pretoria Gavin not only had the opportunity to teach voice to students in the Drama Department at UP but also the inestimable privilege of attending the Lessac Kinesensic Workshop, hosted by the Drama Department at UP. The workshop had participants from South Africa, Brazil, the USA and Australia with instructors from South Africa, the USA and Croatia.

This partnership between The University of Pretoria and NIDA provided an experience which allowed him to immerse himself in and share with the wider voice community, it permitted him to learn techniques and approaches from another country’s leading theatre institution, and ensured that he could continue to grow as an artist whilst further developing and strengthening his own teaching philosophies and practices.

Gavin extended his thanks to Prof Marié-Heleen Coetzee, Prof Marth Munro Morné Steyn, the staff and students of the Drama Department for allowing this ‘shared experience’. With Leahy, the department hopes that this relationship will continue into the future.