Music a joy for Meadow Springs soprano Kristie

Juggling four kids, a full-time job, regular appearances on stage and vocal coaching on the side is all in a day's work for Meadow Springs soprano Kristie Gray.

The single mum, who turned her lifelong passion for the arts into a full-time teaching job 18 months ago, said she began appearing in musical theatre productions at 13, before taking on her first role as assistant director for a school production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat when she was in Year 12.

A natural singing talent, Kristie said the decision to become a teacher of performing arts was a natural progression, after years of instructing budding singers in different vocal techniques.

She said she was delighted to be offered the role of performing arts teacher at Makybe Rise - her children's school - on completion of an external Bachelor of Arts in Education at Curtin University.

"Mum put me into dance class when I was little, and I'd always had an interest in singing," she said.

"I completed my classical training while still at school and started teaching musical theatre when I finished.

"I've always held private singing lessons at my house and, after watching my brother graduate a few years ago, I knew that I wanted to get a degree too."

Kristie said juggling study, caring for children Charlotte Roberts, 12, her sister Skyla, 11, and brothers Max, 9, and Billy, 6, was no small feat, but her hard work paid off when she was offered the role at Makybe Rise in January 2013.

These days, after appearances in amateur shows Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz and Seven Little Australians, Kristie is busy readying more than 100 students for the second annual talent show, an event she launched last year.

Kristie said she was never sure how she found the time to volunteer her services on amateur productions as well, predominantly with Mandurah-based Stray Cats Theatre, and run the popular Adapt Performance Training Glee Club at Mandurah Theatre Academy, not to mention taking on the soprano part in regular duets with Coast FM's Meagan Godleman.

"My Nana died last month over in Melbourne and, sadly, I was unable to attend because of my commitments here, but Meagan and I recorded Ave Maria and some of her other favourites for the funeral," she said.

"If I'm having a not-so-great day, I just start singing and playing my piano - it's very uplifting."

Kristie said her new role at the school had helped her further expand her musical knowledge, most recently picking up the ukulele and guitar to teach to students.

She said she looked forward to students' performances at this year's talent show, as well as in national children's singing event Count Us In.