Launch your singing year with some Mozart Magic

September always feels like a beginning. A change in the light, schools go back, the slight morning chill, and there is a sense of rhythm returning after the looseness of summer. For singers, this is the ideal moment to start planning and shaping the year ahead.

Let me invite you to join me for Sing Joyfully 2025: Mozart at the Helm. This takes place on 15–16 November in Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire, UK. But beware, applications for singers close on Friday, 19 September, in just two weeks, so the time to decide is now.

The reason the application date comes so close to the start of the Autumn term is simple. With Mozart, you need time,  not just to touch the notes, but to properly get inside them. Amongst other things, we will be working on staged excerpts, and that means singers must have long enough to feel they are in the middle of the music rather than only just getting their act together. Eight weeks of preparation will allow the music to settle, so that by November, you can sing with more enjoyment.

Building in preparation time

Preparation is not about being rigid; it is about creating freedom. When you know what is ahead, you can pace your practice and walk into a rehearsal with confidence. That is when you can focus on the sound you are making and on the people around you, rather than trying to catch up on the notes.

The mapped-out year ahead

The Voice School Portal Notice Board is there to give you more than dates. It is designed to welcome you in gently, with music to listen to, ideas to reflect on, and a sense of the shape of the year. The academic calendar is available as a simple PDF to download, so you can mark the dates that matter, but alongside that, you will find playlists, technique guidance, repertoire ideas, and space to pause for thought. The more serious details — application deadlines and the next main event — come further down the page, once you have had the chance to take in the wider picture. The Portal is a directional, inspirational, eye-opening space, carrying you step by step towards the choices that will help you make the most of your singing year.

A singer’s perspective — Sophie’s reflection

Over on The Classical Singer’s Path, which is my fairly new Substack space, I recently invited Sophie Bierens de Haan to write about her singing journey. In her post, she imagines learning to sing as stepping into a garden. At first, there is the pleasure of being in that safe and cultivated space, but she writes that she now feels tempted to open the further gate into the wilderness, curious to see what the wider journey might hold. It is a picture of courage as much as enjoyment, and many singers will recognise that moment in themselves.

Her garden analogy stayed with me, and I searched for my Dartington archway photograph. The image shows the stone entrance leading into the Great Hall, with the private garden visible through another door on the other side. When I was a student, that door was almost always closed; but here, we see it open, the garden and the colours beyond inviting you through. Walk in a little further beyond and you find yourself in the great sweep of the Dartington gardens, with the Henry Moore sculpture presiding over the tilt yard. To me, that whole journey - archway, garden, wilderness - is not so very different from what singing can be. Each new view appears only when you have dared to step through.

Why an early sign-up for Sing Joyfully 2025 matters

With Mozart, preparation cannot be hurried. The repertoire will be selected based on the voices involved, so the earlier I know who is participating, the quicker the music can be arranged and preparations can start. For singers, this means having enough time to learn the notes thoroughly and to adapt to the style, so that by November, the focus can shift to expression and enjoyment. Sing Joyfully 2025 is part of this year’s journey, and it requires commitment now.

Planning one’s singing with kindness

Planning one's singing is not about being strict; it is about being kind to yourself. It’s incredible how much time music truly requires to learn, and you want to feel confident when you perform. Giving yourself that space makes the whole process more enjoyable and helps you feel prepared to participate fully. Life will always be busy, but foresight is what allows your singing to flourish rather than be squeezed in.

See what is waiting

As September begins, I invite you to view the Voice School Portal Notice Board and see what's there. Discover the academic calendar, upcoming events, and a variety of other resources designed to inspire and support you throughout the year. It’s not just about dates; it’s about being part of a larger journey. Sing Joyfully 2025 is the next step, and its deadline is approaching, but beyond that point, a whole year awaits your exploration.