Singing for Stage Performance

Tutors: Alison Mary Sutton, Stuart Smith and Robin Martin-Oliver

Places Remaining

Age: 18+

Teaching time: 6 x 30 minute teaching sessions per student, including setting staged scenes, plus ensemble and dress rehearsals.

Preparation: Students need to prepare, and preferably memorise, two own choice pieces of repertoire from opera or music theatre. These will be worked on in individual sessions. In addition, students are invited to suggest a role from an operatic scene in which they would like to take part in the staged performance at the end of the week. These suggestions will be considered and a final casting decided upon in advance of the course. The cast list will be sent to students in plenty of time for roles to be fully memorised prior to arrival.

Previously ‘Music at Rendcomb,’ this course is re-starting at ISSMUS. It is a practical course for singers with a particular interest in opera and stage work.

The main objective of the course is to provide concentrated music making and a pleasant social atmosphere, in which a greater appreciation of the demands and rewards of performing staged repertoire can be explored. We aim to help singers understand more about how their voices work, with expert tuition provided by a vocal consultant, a vocal coach and a stage director. Initial apprehension is soon dispelled as course members make new friends in a supportive and non-competitive environment.

Although we don’t cater for beginners, we welcome those who have been singing for only a few years – but some experience of solo singing is necessary. It is also beneficial to have had some stage experience, but this is not essential. The minimum age is eighteen years, and there is no upper age limit. New applicants and those whose voices are not known to us are asked to send a good quality recording with their application, including two contrasting items.