ISSIGEAC INTERNATIONAL MUSIC ACADEMY
The IIMA Ambassadors Programme
The IIMA Ambassadors Programme was established to empower former students on our Courses to help and advise future students. We believe that former students are the ideal ambassadors for the work we do and are uniquely positioned to share their experiences with current and prospective students.
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As well as the talented soprano, Miranda Robertson, we are now delighted to welcome Michele Jobling as an IIMA Ambassador.
Michele Jobling, a passionate supporter of the IIMA since its inception, has been a student and an invaluable member of the team. After a successful 30-year ‘career in retail, brand management and business mentoring, Michele is now revisiting her passion for classical music.
As an enthusiastic amateur musician, Michele played the second violin with the Guildford Symphony Orchestra as a child. However, she took a 35-year break and is currently an adult learner, having achieved ABRSM G7 in 2023.
Michele has attended all the IIMA Strings Courses and actively participates in the day-to-day running and organisation of the IIMA. She has had a close association with France for over 37 years, both as a holiday homeowner and resident.
We are delighted to have Michele as an Ambassador for the IIMA.
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Miranda Robertson studies in London with our Patron, international operatic soprano Nelly Miricioiu, and on a full scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music with Raymond Connell.
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In March, Miranda was the first ever vocalist to win the coveted Gordon Turner Prize at the Royal College of Music Junior Department in its 50 year history.
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In April 2024, Miranda attended our Masterclasses Course which culminated in a very popular and successful gala opera concert and, for students on the choral week running alongside the masterclasses - a magical performance of Mozart’s Requiem, in which Miranda was invited to be the soprano soloist.
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Summer 2024 saw Miranda in France, at Opéra Baugé in Anjou, where she was a soloist in the Opera Gala and part of the ensemble in Bizet’s ‘Carmen’, Donizetti’s ‘L’Elisir d’Amore’ and Verdi’s ‘Don Carlos’. In August, Miranda took part in a series of intensive public masterclasses and performances in Arad, Romania, led by Nelly Miricioiu.
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Born in Paris, where she still lives, Miranda spent part of her childhood in Berlin. She began formal singing training aged 11 as a chorister at Wells Cathedral, Somerset UK, under music director Matthew Owens.