Spring Songs

Singing tutor and tenor Brian Parsons, together with pianist and expert coach, Gavin Roberts, offer you the benefits of their extensive knowledge. You'll explore technique, interpretation and presentation, giving you a chance to hone your vocal skills in a friendly and mutually supportive atmosphere. 

In the course, you'll look at warm-ups, technique, style, period, ornamentation, interpretation, diction, languages, characterisation, the intentions of the composer, repertoire. You'll also explore the importance of communicating the poetry and music (facially and vocally) as you create a complete performance. 

By the end of this course, you will:

• Perform your own pieces with more confidence in a concert on the final afternoon
• Identify technical problems and examine interpretational ideas that come to light.
• Understand more about the voice and support system to enable you to address any difficulties that arise with future choices of repertoire.

You'll be split into small groups that allow you to sing to and listen to everyone else on the course. In each session, you'll work with one tutor and pianist, before swapping around. This will introduce you to new repertoire of various styles and also to discuss and explore interpretational and technical points that arise during the sessions. Feedback from everyone during these sessions is welcome.

The course is aimed at singers of Improver, Confident and Skilful levels, as outlined in the Benslow's Ability Levels Explained. We encourage a non-competitive and supportive environment. However, it is important that you can perform your song accurately (with or without sheet music) so that everyone can get the most out of this course. We aim to create a supportive and happy group for sharing a love of song and singing.

Please prepare and learn four (or more) songs of your own choice in any style. You will also need to bring comfortable clothing to wear during sessions.

Please let us know your voice type when you make your booking. Let us know the titles of what you'll be singing in advance of the course, and bring two additional copies of your music to the course for the tutors.