Singing into the New Year with 8 American Greats.
I originally devised the series of Voice-works Study Weekends to kickstart the academic year of 2024. We began with Eight English Greats. Since then, we’ve explored The Origins of Opera, Oratorio and Song, and spent time with Eight French Greats.
My intention has always been to build a more detailed map of vocal repertoire possibilities — and to show how helpful a clear theme can be. It gives focus, a framework, and invites curiosity. And now, as I look ahead to a new year, it feels the perfect moment to turn my attention across the Atlantic, to the New World, and to delve into Eight American Greats.
America’s vocal tradition is younger than ours. That is part of the appeal. There’s less inherited weight and more room for a mix of influences. Classical technique sits alongside the theatre. Jazz rubs shoulders with art song. Operatic writing is there too, but it often carries a different kind of storytelling. I find that fascinating. It changes how you sing, how you phrase, how you li...
Voice-Works Summer Study Weekend 2025: 8 French Greats
Voice-Works Summer Study Weekend 2025
10th–11th May
Location: Chandler's Ford, Hampshire, UK
Setting the scene
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw an extraordinary flowering of French vocal music, with composers navigating the shifting landscapes of Romanticism, Impressionism, and Modernism. Many of these figures crossed paths, influencing one another’s work, drawing inspiration from shared literary sources, and sometimes even studying under the same teachers. Their English contemporaries—Stanford, Elgar, Vaughan Williams, and others—were similarly engaged in defining a national identity in song, yet the French approach remained distinct in its sensuality, clarity of line, and connection to poetry.
During the study weekend, we will explore the music of 8 great French composers, carefully selected for their impact on both mélodie and opera. Fauré, Debussy, and Ravel each shaped the evolution of French art song, while contemporaries like Massenet and Poulenc moved effortlessly be...
Voice-Works Spring Study Weekend for Classical Singers
Prepare to Find Your Voice: Voice-works Spring Study Weekend 2025
Dates: January 25–26, 2025
Location: The Jubilee Hall, Winsham, Somerset, UK.
The Spring Study Weekend is your chance to explore repertoire spanning opera, oratorio, and song from 1600–1850 in an inspiring and supportive setting. Whether you’re a seasoned soloist or rediscovering your voice, this event is crafted to help you refine your skills and deepen your curiosity and understanding of classical vocal performance.
What to Expect Over the Weekend
This immersive two-day event will combine individual coaching, group sessions, and opportunities for discussion and collaboration. The focus is on developing your technical foundation, interpretive insight, and confidence as a singer.
You'll bring three prepared pieces that span the genres of opera, oratorio, and song, allowing for a rich and varied exploration of style and technique. Don’t worry about polished perfection – the emphasis is on secure preparation and a wi...
CODA: final singing notes
Postlude thoughts, given by the singers.
We’ve all just had a week of back-to-normal life routine after our wonderfully indulgent long-weekend ‘Shake Down 2020′, where we did nothing but sing, discuss, cook, eat, relax, listen and work for 4 days. It was idyllic - such good times, full of music, vocal vibration and lots of laughter.
But - how did this re-entry truly feel?
Repertoire that meets you where you are.
A curated, confidence-building guide for returning, rebuilding, or refining classical singers. Includes expert commentary, a clickable playlist, and clarity on how to choose songs that truly fit. Instant download.
Sing Joyfully '25 - with Mozart at the helm!
Sing Joyfully 2025, Mozart at the helm. We’ll meet in Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire, on 15–16 November. Singer application has now closed, but there is still room for observers. Your presence makes a real difference — following the music with a score, watching the work take shape, and sharing in the discoveries adds real richness to the weekend. Join us! Observer places remain open right up until the event itself.
The Classical Singer's Path
A new Substack series, written from the inside out - glimpses into my own life as a classical singer, and the way I think about the art we share. It is quieter than the bustle of The Voice School, a place for reflection, stories, and ideas that might travel with you into your own singing life.. It’s free to subscribe, and early support means a lot as I get it going. You’re warmly invited to join me there.
Featured in Feedspot
Ranked #29 in their Top 60 Singing Blogs — a lovely recognition of our reflective approach to singing.
Stay connected with new events and all updates!
Singing Basics Guide
Getting to grips with or making improvements to your singing and the methods to achieve progress are all far easier and more accessible than you think.
