“Teaching is more than imparting knowledge, it is inspiring change. Learning is more than absorbing facts, it is acquiring understanding.”

William Arthur Ward

When it arrives, this kind of synergy brings an exciting dynamic to the relationship between student and mentor. If present, the two elements generously combine to create an unwritten contract of possibility. 

Where the mentor provides a thought-provoking, boundary-busting structure to learning practices, so the student is encouraged to open themselves up to new ideas and patterns of work. 

 

There is co-operative freedom to inspire. Magical when you experience it.

Dartington Hall, near Totnes in South Devon, provides the perfect vibe for such exchanges to happen and with my next residential weekend in March just visible on the horizon, those of us who have already signed up to be there are beginning to feel the buzz of excitement. 

For solo singers, the Love Your Voice weekend...

The sculptor is here looking, it has been said, at the human form metaphorically: the figure is as much Nature as Woman, with its supporting arm and shoulder “ shaped like a blunt unyielding promontory”. Moore himself chose the site for the Figure, and his choice caused no little surprise at the time. He wanted it to be looked at against the skyline, in contrast to the common assumption of the time that a piece of sculpture should be discreetly enclosed, whether by building or vegetation.

The Reclining Figure resonates with me every...

One of the best reasons I sing is that it keeps me sane. Quite literally. Singing has been and continues to be both my linchpin and my salvation. It may have been challenging to maintain the learning regime at tumultuous times, but I always have returned to music - to singing - to restore balance.

Reason #1: It’s a question of balance

Singing restores my equilibrium. It lifts me up in unseen ways and gives permission to engage with my inner self. It helps me express and communicate, share thoughts and even commemorate. In 2001 I gave a concert to celebrate the life of my youngest daughter Alice, who had died earlier that year at just 7 years old. We recorded the performance live; to this day I consider it to be one of the most healing actions I have ever taken. All I wanted to share and vocally express that night is on the CD recording, and it is still so very, very consoling. Like a time capsule, it takes me right back. I gave a similar remembrance performance...