Born an only child in Auckland, New Zealand on Jan23, 1922, from childhood Mackie was fascinated by musical sounds, and well remembers radio broadcasts of Gigli, Caniglia and Tibbet.

In his early teens he was an accomplished chorister and member of All Saints Anglican church choir, and subsequently St Mathews where he studied organ with outstanding organist Stanley Jackson, eventually becoming one of his assistants. Having served in the NZ army during WWII, he once again continued in the choir and with his organ studies. At this juncture he was persuaded to take singing lessons as the only pupil of Berta Carr who was herself a pupil of Manuel Garcia (Royal College London).

Berta Carr insisted on an audition with Dr Edgar Bainton R. C. M. Examiner, who advised Vernon to embrace singing as a career, and to study with Clive Carey at the Royal College of Music London.

Mackie followed Dr Bainton's advice, but found Carey to have scant knowledge of vocal technique, which he now attributes to the influence of Carey's mentor Jean de Reske, of ‘Dan Le Masque’ infamy. This pernicious ‘method’ is totally in conflict with the Old Italian School and to this day is rampant and is identified as the ‘Forward Production Method’. Carey all but dismantled Mackie’s voice and he left Carey to become a pupil of E. Herbert Caesari.

After a total of 3 years of intensive daily study (1947-48 and again in 1963), Caesari reversed the damage caused by Carey and crafted in Mackie a world class tenor voice. He returned to NZ where he gave concerts and taught voice. He subsequently taught in Brisbane Australia, and later settled in the Phillipines and taught at the Phillipines Women’s University, under the direction of internationally recognised Master Musician Lucrecia Kasilag. Their association extended over 20 years.

Vernon Mackie now offers in his book “Bel Canto - The Essense of Vocal Art” a condensed and encapsulated exposition of vocal technique evolved from the application of nature’s laws as established by the Old Italian School - The Schola Cantorum.

“I announce 'Nature’s Immutable Laws' without fear, aware that it is contrary to what a majority of others currently think. The primacy of one’s conscience depends on its identifying and accepting truth.”

Vernon L Mackie, 2004