Now, she is preparing to travel to London at the end of this month, where she will take up studies towards a master of performance at the Royal College of Music.
Paterson will hold a farewell and fundraising concert this Saturday from 7.30pm at Marama Hall on campus, supported by an array of local musicians.
Growing up in Dunedin, music and dance were a big part of Paterson’s life, so it was a natural progression when she went on to study for an performance voice honours degree in the University of Otago Performing Arts department, from 2016-2019.
Paterson’s main teachers at the university were Associate Prof Judy Bellingham, now retired, and her successor Tessa Romano.
She also studied privately with Prof Bellingham and North Island teacher Emma Pearson.
"It was a privilege to learn from them," she said.
Her musical development also included singing as a member of the New Zealand Youth Choir, from 2017-2019, training with the Singing School New Zealand and NZ Opera School, singing with Dunedin’s Octagon Ensemble, and as a vocal scholar with the Dunedin RSA Choir.
Paterson has performed in many high-profile productions, including Opera Otago’s Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, A Christmas Carol, and children’s opera Little Red Riding Hood. She was also involved in Daughters of the Late Colonel, part of the Mansfield Trilogy of modern operas.
Like many performers, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic gave her a lot of time for reflection.
"So, post lockdown, I decided to do what I wanted to do for a while, including going back to university to do a contemporary voice course, which was fantastic," she said.
All of her experiences will stand Paterson in good stead when she takes the exciting step of heading to London for a course that will cover a broad range of performance.
The course starts in September and continues until July 2025.
Paterson said the expert tuition, mentoring, and opportunities she received during her time at the Otago University Music Department had made it possible for her to further her studies overseas.
"They have supported me greatly, and I am hugely grateful for that," she said.
- Saturday’s concert at Marama Hall will feature Paterson performing a selection of opera and musical theatre favourites, accompanied on piano by Professor Terence Dennis and Tom McGrath, who will also play a duet.
Friends and fellow students Emma McClean (soprano) and Rodge Ponini (tenor) will also perform, and the RSA Choir will sing some items.
Bookings and donations can be made through trybooking.co.nz/OPK
