Emma Summers - Keening Woman

Emma has established herself as a jazz vocalist and teacher around Christchurch, and alongside her Jazz Quartet After Five, she can be found singing at many a festival or hospitality venue.

She has performed at corporate functions, weddings, radio promotional material and many hospitality venues over the past 15 years and after spending a period abroad, has been calling Christchurch home for the past 5 years.

Having spent her secondary years learning classical voice under the tutelage of Shelly Spang and Eleanor Sim, Emma then transitioned into contemporary and jazz voice during her university years.

Over the years Emma has continued to dabble in choral and opera opportunities, most recently performing with the New Zealand Opera Chorus for their 2024 season of Le Comte Ory. During the day, Emma can be found teaching voice and directing choirs of high school students all across Ōtautahi.

Emma was thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside the team at Toi Toi Opera for the first time in early 2025, singing the role of Dandini Billy Goat in their production of John Davies’ children’s opera The Billy Goats Gruff, and has since appeared as part of their 6th Birthday Celebration concert Serenade to Music - putting both her opera and her jazz chops to fine use on the big night.