The Glasshouse

When did you first start singing?
My Mum and my Grandmum would sing all the time around our home, so I would say I started singing probably as soon as I could talk, as I always wanted to sing with them.

How did you find out about Samling Academy and what inspired you to join?
I found out about Samling Academy when they came to my school to do a ‘Samling Futures’ event which aimed to inspire young singers to audition for their programme. They had two beautiful singers performing in a masterclass for us and I just loved what they were doing and wanted to be a part of it.

How has being in Samling Academy helped you as a singer?
Being part of Samling Academy has provided me with so many opportunities to sing in front of audiences of all ages, whether that be in schools or at Sage Gateshead, which has given me so much more confidence. Samling Academy has helped me find a pathway into opera which I would not have been able to find myself.

What’s been the highlight of your time in Samling Academy so far?
The highlight of my time so far at Samling Academy was being given the opportunity to sing the role of Nelly in ‘Gonna wash that man right outta my hair’ as the finale of our concert last October in Sage Two. I loved the piece of music and being able to play such a fun character on stage was so exciting.

What do you like to do when you’re not singing?
When I’m not singing, I love to dance. I love to take dance classes myself, as well as teach them to children.

What do you enjoy about performing in Sage Two?
Sage Two is an intimate space which makes for a wonderful experience as a performer as I love the closeness between the audience and the performer.

Can you tell us a bit about ‘Conversation Pieces’ and the music you’ll be performing?
I’ll be performing several pieces in the show, including scenes from Dido and Aeneas and The Marriage of Figaro, however my favourite is definitely a duet from The Telephone by Gian Carlo Menotti. This has a personal connection with our family as my Mum used to live with Menotti and travel around with his family, as governor to his grandchildren. She used to hear him play this piece on his piano in his house, so she is particularly excited for this one as it brings back many happy memories for her!

And finally, why should people come to see the show?
it’s filled with an exciting mix of repertoire which I absolutely love. There’s something for everyone in opera.

*Photo credit Mark Pinder

When did you first start singing?
I started singing when I was really young in my family’s church music group because my parents both played in it. My first organised singing experience was with the Locomotion boys’ choir in Darlington when I was about six.

How did you find out about Samling Academy and what inspired you to join?
I found out about Samling Academy when I was 13 through my first singing teacher who had a few other pupils doing it. At the time, I knew absolutely nothing about it and just treated it as audition experience, having no expectation of getting in. I didn’t get into the Academy that year but auditioned again the next year (again not expecting anything to come from it) and this time I got in.

How has being in Samling Academy helped you as a singer?
Honestly, (at the risk of sounding like I’m being paid to say this) Samling Academy has been the single most transformative thing I’ve been involved with when it comes to my singing. In terms of exposing me to this style of singing and the standard Samling Academy produces, nothing comes close to it. Even having grown up in a musical household and being very lucky with the opportunities I had been given up until that point, my first Samling Academy weekend was unlike anything else I’d been part of. I’d never seen a group of people who loved and thought about singing in so much detail and it just ignited something in me that’s eventually led to me choosing classical singing as my career choice!

What’s been the highlight of your time in Samling Academy so far?
It would probably be the ending of the October 2019 concert when we did the Easter Hymn from Cavalleria rusticana. It was my first time properly being involved in a huge moment from an opera and I’ll never forget the goosebumps I got while being in the chorus.

What do you like to do when you’re not singing?
I’m a big football fan and spend a lot of time watching, listening and reading about it. Aside from loving the sport and finding it really entertaining as a game, I get a lot from the psychological and mental side of the game that I apply to my singing. They both require a person to perform a skill they’ve honed over years of practice under a lot of external and internal pressure, and I find those sorts of parallels really interesting. When I have some time
to myself, I’m also usually messing around on a guitar. I’m not very good at all but I like having a musical outlet where I can just play whatever I like and nobody has to listen to it except me!

What do you enjoy about performing in Sage Two?
Sage Two is a really unique place to sing. It manages to feel like a big venue to be performing in while still being very intimate and nice to sing in. I’ve been lucky enough to have sung there quite a few times and it’s always a venue I look forward to because I get something new from it each time in terms of how the room itself reacts to you as a performer.

Can you tell us a bit about ‘Conversation Pieces’ and the music you’ll be performing?
‘Conversation Pieces’ can have a lot of meanings. My two solo items show the breadth of ideas that ‘conversation’ can refer to. James MacMillan’s ‘Scots Song’ is an incredibly intimate and personal conversation where the protagonist is recounting a series of experiences they’ve had with a mysterious and otherworldly woman who leaves them completely haunted and overwhelmed. On the other hand, Peter Warlock’s arrangement of ‘Yarmouth Fair’ is more like a story you might overhear in a pub about the exploits of a bloke trying to get off with a pretty girl and taking her to the fair!

And finally, why should people come to see the show?
I’ve been a part of Samling Academy for a few years now and with every production, I’m always blown away by how much all the singers and the production team put into every detail. There is complete and utter buy-in from every single person involved and that shows itself in the performances because all of the cast and crew pull together to create a production that can stand alongside anything put on by a professional group of performers.

Classical singing (and especially art song) is a criminally under-recognised art-form in my opinion and I think these Samling Academy concerts will be a fantastic showcase of how in the 21st century, this music can be enjoyed, emotionally connected with and sung by young people.

*Photo credit Mark Pinder

When did you first start singing?
I first started singing in the choir at my primary school. I then joined Cleveland Philharmonic Junior Choir where I met John Forsyth who started me with singing lessons and introduced me to classical music.

How did you find out about Samling Academy and what inspired you to join?
When I was in Year 7, John Forsyth and my school head of music Matthew Haworth introduced me to Samling Academy as something that I should audition for in the future. I was also fortunate to have a Samling Futures event hosted at my school which boosted my enthusiasm to audition by being inspired by those who performed.

How has being in Samling Academy helped you as a singer?
Samling Academy is such a nurturing environment for young singers, providing high quality support from incredibly inspiring leaders who give an insight into the professional world. Samling has also given me a chance to meet similar-minded singers ranging in ages and experience with whom you can exchange ideas and I’ve made such close friends.

What’s been the highlight of your time in Samling Academy so far?
One of my biggest highlights of Samling Academy has been the chance to perform solos in Sage Two. It was such a surreal experience and an incredible space to sing in. Another highlight has been meeting fellow singers who have been so inspiring, so encouraging and supportive and with whom I’ve become so close because we can relate through singing.

What do you like to do when you’re not singing?
At the moment when I’m not singing, I’m working at a dog kennels in Sadberge. I am a big animal lover and have always grown up with dogs, so I love my job. I also enjoying baking and walking.

What do you enjoy about performing in Sage Two?
Sage Two is a fantastic space to sing in as it’s a perfect size to push you out of your comfort zone, however the audience, the cast and venue staff make it such a warming and comforting environment to perform in. It provides a stage where you can give it your all to showcase everything you’ve been working on with the fabulous coaches.

Can you tell us a bit about ‘Conversation Pieces’ and the music you’ll be performing?
‘Conversation Pieces’ brings to life a range of interactions between people, nature, lovers and religion. Some of the pieces we are depicting in a modern way to encourage the audience to relate to them.

And finally, why should people come to see the show?
You should come to our show because it will not only be pleasing and enjoyable to the ear but will be visually interesting too. You will hear a range of pieces expressing different conversations of passion, love, sorrow and hope in a range of languages and settings, with solos, duets, trios and ensembles. The show will showcase different levels of experience with singers at varying stages of their singing life giving you a flavour of upcoming talent.

*Photo credit Mark Pinder