What should classical singers do between lessons?

Learning how to sing involves much more than the time we spend with a singing teacher. For adult classical singers, an important part of the learning process is discovering how to continue developing independently: how we practise, how we approach repertoire, what we listen for and how we make sense of our own discoveries between singing lessons. 

This is something I talk about a great deal with singers. There can be an assumption that the serious work, the real progress, happens when the teacher is there. Yet so much of our development as musicians depends upon what we learn to do for ourselves, with good guidance to help us recognise what matters and where our curiosity might take us.

What should I actually be doing between lessons?

It sounds such a straightforward question.

For many years the answer might simply have been, “Practise.”

Of course we need to practise. Singing is a practical discipline, and there is no substitute f...

There’s something irreplaceable about staying actively involved as a singer, even after years of experience. Whether it’s through workshops, choirs, study weekends or online sessions, singers grow most when they keep using their voices in real situations, with real people and real music. That ongoing engagement is at the heart of everything I do creatively through The Voice School, and it’s also the theme of my recent reflection, A Singer Among Singers, which you can read in full on my Substack, A Classical Singer's Path.

Why ongoing involvement matters

Many adult classical singers reach a stage where they already understand a great deal about vocal technique, but real progress often begins again when they step back into musical environments that challenge and inspire them. Singing is physical, emotional and communal; it isn’t something that can be fully grasped in isolation. Through The Voice School, I’ve created spaces where singers can explore that connection — balancing techni...