• With 30 years in the entertainment business as a performer, composer, director and coach, John has a truly unique perspective and insight into the inner workings of vocal performance. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education; has performed in major musicals, concert events and on TV; has created , composed and directed musicals, international touring shows and arena events; has worked for worldwide entertainment companies like Disney, Warner Brothers and Fremantle Media; and has been employed as performance coach on major TV shows, and for international tertiary education institutions.

  • John is incredibly passionate about music, singing, and performance, and is most alive when in a room with actors, dancers and singers sharing this passion and helping them find their best. He has coached and directed a hugely diverse range of vocalists, from musical theatre to rock and pop singers, recording artists, cabaret and jazz singers, as well as musicians, dancers and actors. What makes John’s coaching truly unique is that, because of his eclectic and diverse background, it is like working with a singing teacher, musical director, choreographer and director all rolled into one.

  • John’s teaching style is encouraging, engaging, upbeat and warm. He can be incredibly insightful, highly practical, deeply emotional, and very often silly just at the right moments. He is also surprisingly open and honest about his own experiences, challenges and fears, which helps students to relate and feel more comfortable with their own journey.

What is performance coaching?

Performance coaching is a hands on and holistic way for artists to develop experience and skills in public vocal performance. It is different from singing teaching or vocal coaching in that sessions are more focused on the whole performance package. This may include physical movement, body language, eye focus, utilising the stage, relating to the audience, connecting to the lyrics, responding to the music, creating an emotional journey, vocal tone and technique, as well as tools to deal with performance anxiety and confidence. The exact focus depends on the student, the material and the purpose or outcome (whether it be for audition prep, cabaret performance, band gig performance, concert event, to develop musical theatre performance skills, or to gain experience in working with a director).

In their words...

"I had the great pleasure of working with John during my time on Australian Idol. He was always wonderful to work with, extremely talented, very inspiring and helped me to feel much more comfortable performing..." ​
- Damien Leith (Australian Idol Winner 2006)
“Through John’s extensive international experience, I’ve had the opportunity of being directed by him. There is a unending supply of skill and joy that he brings to the rehearsal room. He creates the environment that facilitates clear communication and happiness.”
- Juan Jackson (international music theatre star)
"I first met John Rowe when he was head of Performance Coaching at ED5 where I studied.  After hearing he’d been the performance coach on Australian Idol, I was eager to study with him.  Our weekly 2 hour class was long form analysis of individual song performances and the rest of the class watched as he worked with each individual.  Simply watching John work with other students was a master class in acting, let alone the incredible learning experience from him one on one.

John has an incredible ability to hear a song once, and immediately discern every intention, every high point, every tender moment, every moment of silence, and teaches them in a way making them accessible and easy for the individual to discover and communicate in performance. 

As someone who wasn’t always a confident actress, this process of dissection of my audition and performance songs was invaluable to bringing authenticity and professionalism to my performance.   It also, over time, helped remove the fear that I ‘looked silly’, and gave me confidence to tell an honest story through song.  John is a master of his craft.  His insight into nuance is second to none, and I credit him with helping me learn to tell a story, prepare thoroughly for auditions, and understand quickly what the writer wants communicated in each song." 
​- Rachel Cole (Wicked, Matilda, Promises Promises, Chess, Opera Australia, Evita)
" I can clearly remember my first ever performance coaching session with John. As a young person with not much singing experience and completely full of fear and self consciousness John helped me to step outside of myself... something that helped me so incredibly much.

By encouraging me to use my imagination and really step into my character all negative thoughts of me and what I looked and sounded like, magically disappeared. I felt true freedom in that moment and I'll never forget that awesome feeling.
From a student to a colleague, working with John in every facet has been an absolute joy every single time. He has so much to give and has a wonderful knack of making you feel completely comfortable."
- Natasha Crane  (professional commercial dancer and international choreographer)

Credits

Australian Idol (series 4&5)
performance & movement coach

Grease the Arena Spectacular
performer - lead role

Carols in the Domain
featured guest artist

Kingdom of Paramithi TV Series
performer - lead role, movement coach

Smurfs Live On Stage
show creator, composer, director

Victorian State Schools Spectacular
director

Disney Live
musical director

Australia’s Wonderland
entertainment & show director

Lasalle College of the Arts
performance coach, artist in residence

Singapore Repertory Theatre
writer, lyricist, director

P&O Cruises
musical director, stage director
​
Sydney Eisteddfod
​adjudicator, advisor
"There is no greater joy than helping singers get to the heart of a song,
actors get to the heart of a scene,
performers get to the heart of their audience...
and all artists get to the heart of themselves."
John Rowe