The Voice School Portal

The academic year’s event structure.

Singing on your own, working on technique online, and taking time to reflect all have an important place in a singer's development. Equally, 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. As the new year begins to take shape, you'll find the latest dates, application information and updates here.

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! 

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:

How do I know if my singing technique is working?

As a classical singer, how can you recognise when your vocal technique is genuinely improving? What you hear and what you feel don't always tell the same story. Listening to others, sharing musical experiences and learning through observation can help you develop a clearer understanding of your own voice.

Explore further ... Read this blog post to find out how learning alongside others can enrich your singing.

Curious? Tap the image to find out more about my January '27 workshop day, Understanding Vocal Technique. Places are limited, and applications close on 30 November 2026.

Your singing practice needs a clear direction

Good vocal progress does not come simply from doing more practice. It comes from understanding what you want your singing to become, and then shaping your practice around those aims. Asking the right questions can help you take greater ownership of your vocal development and make your practice more purposeful.

Explore further ... Tap the image to read more about building a consistent singing practice and taking real ownership of your singing.

Thinking about joining us?

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 and over time.

If that way of working speaks to you, there are several ways to become involved. From Voice-works Study Weekends and practical workshops to special musical events and the continuing study offered through Virtually Vocalise, each offers something different. And if you're not quite ready to sing, joining us as an observer can be a wonderful place to begin.

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

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.

Festive Intermezzo | 1–21 December 2026

Following the success of the August Intermezzo, Studio 5 returns with a Festive Intermezzo from 1–21 December.

Three weeks of small invitations to keep us connected with our singing during a busy time of year: a little listening, reflection, exploration and shared conversation, with plenty of space for the unexpected things that emerge along the way.

“More expanding, the approach is more varied, more open, less routine.”

The programme is now ready, with all the details available for you to explore.

Still wearing our singer shoes… right up to Christmas.

Booking deadline: Friday 27 November 2026 | Participation fee: £30

Click the image for details.

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 repertoire that continues to call to us, songs that reveal something more each time we return to them, and gradually 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...

Final application deadline: Saturday, 5 December 2026. One place left!

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.

Understanding Vocal Technique

Wednesday 20 January 2027 - Winsham, Somerset, UK

A practical study day at Church Farmhouse, Winsham, exploring the fundamentals of classical singing through the Essential Five: Posture, Airflow, Onset, Support/Appoggio and Resonance.

Places limited to five singers. Applications close 30 November 2026.

Full details and how to apply are available on the workshop page; click the image for more.

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. Details to follow soon.

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

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: Remembering How to Sing. Just click here to hop over and have a browse.