The Voice School Portal

The academic year’s event structure.

 Singing on your own and working on technique online is invaluable, but something particular happens when singers come together in the room. Listening, thinking, singing, and learning alongside others brings a different dimension to the work.

Throughout the year, The Voice School offers a small number of carefully designed events, each with its own purpose and emphasis. Some are centred on shared enjoyment and participation, while others provide opportunities to explore repertoire, technique, musicianship, and performance in greater depth.

Together, these events create a varied and connected programme of learning across the academic year. Details and application information will appear here as they are announced.

What Singers Say...

"Not being preoccupied by my own singing, I was able to observe what was going on with more impartiality than usual."

“To have resumed singing and connecting with that source of joy/ flow/ energy is already a massive gift.”

“The weekend was so supportive that I now feel much more comfortable about singing in German.”

“I find it so educational to see you put into practice all the technical, musicianship and performance issues we are trying to master.”

“From one attempt to the next, Gillian led each one of us to the joys of singing more freely.”

All wonderful stuff! 

A place to think about singing

My 'Take Note' blog gathers a wide range of thoughts on singing, from vocal technique and repertoire to musicianship and the lived experience of working with the voice over time. You can browse or search for something specific that you're curious about or perhaps speaks to wherever you are in your learning curve ...

Catch up with the latest Take Note post.

Virtually Vocalise Mentoring

This is the long-term online space at the heart of The Voice School, for singers who want to stay connected to their voice in a steady and meaningful way, wherever they are.

It supports the time between lessons, workshops, and performances, through a regular, week-by-week rhythm of mentoring, shared work, and reflection. I work closely with each singer to help them notice what is happening in their voice and build a way of working that holds over time.

This is where your singing becomes part of an ongoing pathway, rather than something that depends on bursts of activity. If you’re looking for a way to continue, this is where it happens. → Click the image to find out more about Virtually Vocalise

New! Studio 5: August Intermezzo

 A short interval or pause between larger events. Click the image for the details.

Running from 3–28 August, this is a new kind of Studio 5 space for the holiday weeks between terms - an online Intermezzo where you can stay connected to your singing in a simple, practical, and flexible way, even if life is busy or if you’re away.

Alongside weekly material, I’ll set aside time each week for an open, informal Intermezzo chat — you can drop in to ask questions, share ideas. If you can’t make a live chat, you’ll still be able to send thoughts and questions into the group space for me to respond to during the week.

This August Intermezzo is the first of a new Studio 5 idea that will continue to appear during the spaces between terms across the academic year.

Workshop events, dates, and deadlines: choices to grab your attention right now ...

I plan Voice School events well in advance, and when booking first opens, there’s usually an early bird payment option available for a short period. This allows singers who like to think ahead to spread the cost and plan their singing activity year-round. Once that early-bird window closes, standard payment applies.

Voice-works series: 8 Vocal Greats

That's a wrap!

What a wonderful two days of singing and conversation we shared. Immediate reflections from the singers:

"I am determined that the processing of this wealth of knowledge will inform my vocal study and choice of repertoire for the coming year."

"I thought that my learning habits were slow and plodding but, with Gillian's detailed and in-depth guidance, this does not have to be the case!"

Wonderful stuff!

Your Desert Island Songs

26–27 September 2026 · Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire

Your Desert Island Songs begins the new Voice-works Study Weekend year by exploring the repertoire that gradually inhabits who we are as singers.

Join me for two days of shared singing, listening, study, reflection, and the beginning of a repertoire journey that may continue unfolding throughout the coming year.

A special Early Bird Reward payment plan is available until 13 June 2026 for singers who step aboard early and begin shaping their repertoire over the summer months.

Final application deadline: 15 August 2026.

Songs to Float Your Boat

16–17 January 2027 · Winsham, Somerset, UK.

Songs to Float Your Boat is the next port of call on this year’s Voice-works Study Weekend journey. Together, we’ll explore the gathering repertoire that continues to call to us, songs that reveal new appeal each time we return to them, and claim them as our own.

Join us for two days of shared singing, listening, study, and reflection as we explore the music that continues to earn its place in our repertoire. Click the image for more ...

A special Early Bird Reward payment plan is available until Saturday, 12 September 2026, giving singers time to shape and live with their repertoire throughout the Autumn term.

Final application deadline: Saturday, 5th December 2026.

Voice-works Study Weekends — a note on preparation

Voice-works Study Weekends are designed for singers who are ready to work in depth. Repertoire does not need to be performance-polished, but it does need to be known securely enough to explore in detail. These weekends assume that you have already spent time preparing your music, engaging with the text and style, and thinking about the artistic questions your repertoire raises. Our time together is then used for discovery, shared listening, and focused development, rather than learning notes or catching up on basics.

Love Your Voice & Sing Joyfully 2027

“This Love Your Voice weekend gave me more insight and practice than any of the week-long summer music schools I attended in my younger days.”

Love Your Voice 2026 took place in Winsham, Somerset (UK), on 14–16 March, and a wonderful time was had by all.

Next year, we celebrate 10 years of LYV & Sing Joyfully. Special plans are in the making.

Dates for your diary: 12th-16th March. 

The Learning Curve: Ways to begin your learning

Below are a few ways to begin orienting yourself within The Voice School, lighter resources you can explore at your own pace.

This Month’s Vocal Focus:

When 'OK' isn't the destination

There may come a point in your singing journey when everything feels... OK - comfy. Singing is enjoyable, rehearsals come and go, and it's tempting to believe this is as good as it gets. It isn't.

The biggest breakthroughs often begin when you become more curious about your own voice. Listen. Notice. Adjust. Carry on. One thoughtful change can achieve far more than simply singing more often.

Explore further ... Tap the image to hear what I have to say about this.

The secrets of great singing

If you're a committed classical singer who enjoys learning and who wants to continue developing your voice with confidence in the years ahead, I hope my short video linked above gave you plenty to think about.

Many adult singers reach what I call the OK Plateau.

There is much more to discover, not by pushing harder, but by becoming more observant, more thoughtful and more curious about how your voice actually works. A broader, more holistic approach to learning can make singing feel easier, more enjoyable and more rewarding, whatever stage you have reached on your vocal journey.

Explore further ... Tap the image and read more.

Ready to take part?

There comes a point when watching and reading isn’t quite enough, and you begin to want to bring your repertoire into the room and see what happens to it in real time. That’s where the live work begins to feel different. We sit at the piano, we try things, we listen carefully, we adjust, and gradually the music reveals more than it did before.

I’ve always believed that singing isn’t about arriving somewhere finished. As Anaïs Nin wrote, “Perfection is static, and I am in full flow.” That feels much closer to the truth of how voices grow — steadily, thoughtfully, over time.

If you feel ready to step into that process, the next Voice-works Study Weekend might be for you!  There are always observer places too. Sometimes simply being in the room is the first step on your path.

Inspiration in Progress

I also write on The Classical Singer’s Path, my Substack. A quieter, more personal corner, where I share my voice as a singer rather than as a teacher. It’s where I reflect on my own journey, share recordings or stories, and sometimes open conversations that you’re welcome to join in the comments. Subscription is free right now. If you’d like to come and share your own experiences, I'd love that too.

Latest read:  Why, for me, singing endlessly fascinates. Just click here to hop over and have a browse.