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, and working alongside others who share curiosity and commitment. That in-person work is most effective when it sits within a wider framework of ongoing study and reflection.

Across the year, The Voice School offers a small number of in-person events with different emphases, some joy-led and invitational, others more study-focused, with time and space to work more deeply with repertoire, technique, and musical thinking, either as a singer or an engaged observer.

Each event has a clear purpose, so choosing the right one matters. Details unfold as the year progresses, and events are designed to connect naturally with the wider work of the studio, so do keep an eye on dates and application information as they are announced.

What Singers Say...

"I learned as much watching other people sing and receive feedback as I did when working on my own pieces. Listening and observing were an essential part of the learning."

"It was a very rich experience, not only working on my own songs but having my ears opened to what others brought. Hearing different voices and approaches deepened my understanding of the repertoire."

"The weekend gave me confidence to push deeper into repertoire and to approach unfamiliar composers with curiosity rather than fear. It wasn’t just about singing, but about learning how to think and listen more adventurously as a musician."

All wonderful stuff!

Voice-works Spring Study Weekend 2026

"I had been very unwell during the lead up to the workshop, recovering from a very bad bout of flu, and wasn’t sure how much I would be able to do. I learned a lot from observing my fellow singers while following the printed music and listening carefully to the work being done. Gillian was very supportive, recognising what I could and could not achieve. I am so glad that I decided to attend. It has been very beneficial in the time after the workshop, and it was wonderful to be supported by friends old and new."

"The study weekend was a real eye-opener, introducing me to composers I had not heard of before, such as Ned Rorem and Carlisle Floyd, and a very different repertoire to consider in the future. The excellent choice of songs by my dear friends really reinforced the joy and conviviality of the weekend. Gillian did an excellent job as always in mentoring us through the intricacies of each song and the composer. A fascinating learning experience."

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.

Love Your Voice 2026: it's a WRAP!

"It's rare to have such a variety of real in-depth singing practice in a only a weekend, involving different acoustics, working with an accompanist and performing to an audience!!"

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. Special plans are in the making. Dates for your diary: 13th-15th March. 

Voice-works series: 8 German Greats

Join me in Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire (UK) on 16–17 May 2026 for two wonderful days studying nearly a century of German song. We’ll work with music by Franz Schubert, Fanny Hensel, Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Hugo Wolf and Richard Strauss. (You’ll notice there are women in the line-up!)

Expect a weekend of singing, exploring and shared discovery, with a very hands-on approach that people usually find hugely enjoyable. Singer places are limited. (An Early Bird payment plan, spreading the fee across three instalments, is available until the end of February.)

Singer application deadline: Saturday, 28 March 2026.

Voice-works series: 8 Vocal Greats

Join me in Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire (UK) on 11–12 July 2026 for a Voice-works Study Weekend exploring Eight Vocal Greats. Across two focused and enjoyable days, we’ll trace a vocal lineage from Purcell to Britten, with each singer curating up to six pieces from this rich musical field.

It’s an opportunity to bring your repertoire together, make fresh connections, and share the work with a small group of like-minded singers who care deeply about music and enjoy the process of discovering more. Applications close Friday, 15 May 2026. The early bird payment plan is available until 30 April.

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.

Navigate the way with me: a calendar, an event, some reading & more below ...

The Learning Curve: Ways to begin your learning

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

Virtually Vocalise Mentoring

Virtually Vocalise is the long-term studio at the heart of The Voice School. It exists to support singers in the space between lessons, workshops, and performances, where progress is most easily lost without continuity. Through a steady rhythm of mentoring, shared work, and thoughtful reflection, Virtually Vocalise provides a reliable framework for singers who want their development to hold over time, rather than relying on bursts of activity or isolated moments of insight.

→ Click on the image to find out more about Virtually Vocalise

This Month’s Vocal Technique Focus:

Jaw & Tongue Freedom

Many singers searching for greater ease discover that the jaw and tongue are quietly working harder than they need to. Subtle tension here can influence airflow, laryngeal balance, and the overall freedom of the sound.

This month we’re exploring how jaw holding develops, how it affects the tongue, and what genuine release actually feels like. Begin with the linked blog and video for a clear, practical introduction.

Why the Jaw Matters

Many singers don’t realise how closely the jaw and tongue work together. If the jaw is not genuinely free, the tongue cannot find workable space — and that subtle restriction can influence airflow, clarity, and even laryngeal balance.

In the blog, I explore how tension develops unnoticed, why “dropping the jaw” isn't the same as releasing it, and what changes when coordination improves.

Click either image to read more and explore the full discussion.

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 event has a singer application deadline of 28 March, and there are observer places too. Sometimes simply being in the room is the first step on the 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: Do you need permission to keep singing? Just click here to hop over and have a browse.

The Press Gallery is the creative wing of The Voice School — a curated collection of photography and artwork that sits alongside the singing life.
Here you’ll find selected pieces drawn from seasons of teaching, study and daily noticing, alongside artworks created within my wider creative circle. Some are available in print; others are simply part of the growing archive.
A Singer’s Paradigm remains the founding print — produced in small, careful batches — with further works gradually taking their place.