A SOTA alumna (IBCP Music, Class of 2019), soprano Natasha Michella Da Costa graduated from the University of Oxford with a Master of Studies (MSt) in musicology at Oriel College, and holds a Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree in Vocal Studies from the Royal Academy of Music, London.
During her time in the United Kingdom, Natasha was a Choral Scholar at Pusey House, Oxford, and a recipient of the Royal Academy of Music Scholarship (Molly Bridge Award). Her studies was generously supported by the Trailblazer Foundation. She was awarded the 2024 Joan Chissell/Rex Stephens Schumann Lieder Prize and was a finalist in the Kathleen Ferrier Competition for Young Singers (2020).
Under the tutelage of Marie Vassiliou and Christopher Glynn, Natasha has made operatic role debuts including Susanna, Mélisande, and Nella, as well as a solo debut at the Royal Albert Hall for Prom Praise 2024. She has also performed at 10 Downing Street, alongside numerous Lieder recitals in London and Oxford.
With over 20 years of singing experience, Natasha has performed internationally in Austria, Slovakia, Indonesia, the UK, and the United States, and has participated in masterclasses with distinguished musicians including Christian Gerhaher, Hartmut Höll, Claudia Visca, Rannveig Braga-Postl, Maria Gessler, and John Vaida. Her past teachers include Akiko Otao, William Lim, Stella Zhou, and Christopher Abimanyu, who played a formative role in her musical development. Vocally, she performs a wide-ranging repertoire encompassing classical, pop, musical theatre, and jazz.
Musicologically, her research focuses on Romantic Lieder and opera, with particular interest in the works of Richard Strauss. Her broader academic interests include postmodernism in opera, music and global development, vocal expression techniques, and philosophy. She has also presented an academic paper at the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (SEA) on Southeast Asian popular music.
Natasha is passionate about fostering a holistic approach to music education, encouraging young musicians to develop as both thoughtful performers and informed researchers.