Working at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC
June 2024 – It was a great privilege to be invited by Dr Mira Yang to be Artist in Residence at the AAMS (American Asian Music School) (Young Artist Programme at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC. I spent a wonderful week giving masterclasses to 20 young singers (mostly from USA) who enrolled on this programme. Other colleagues were from George Mason University DC, Washington National Opera and Metropolitan Opera NY. The weeks course culminated in a lovely concert in the Millenium stage at the Kennedy Centre.
Summer School in Todi, Italy
July 2024 – I spent 2 fabulous weeks in July 2024 as the guest of Dr Mira Yang at the AAMS (American Asian Music School) annual Summer School in Todi, Umbria in Italy. 18 students (from USA, Australia, China, South Korea and Portugal) came to the beautiful medieval hilltop town of Todi to spend 2 weeks singing and learning Italian at the music school and language school there. I gave singing lessons and masterclasses for the students and helped prepare them for 4 concerts in total. Pergolesi Stabat Mater (words by the C14 Italian priest Jacapone from Todi) was performed in the Conzolazione Church in Todi; then 3 other concerts of arias, sings and opera ensembles were performed in the beautiful salon at the Music School there. Other colleagues were Deirdre Wellborn from South Carolina, Pietri Antikaiinen from Finland and Bruno Taddeo from Italy.
Former students recent news 2023
- John Findon who will be representing UK at the 30th anniversary of Operalia, the World Opera Competition in South Africa this year.
- Samantha Quillish has just graduated from the National Opera Studio, London.
- Lisa Willems is a member of La Chapelle, Brussels and also a young artist at Theatre Royal de la Monnaie, Brussels.
- Karina Bailey is singing in the chorus at Landestheatre in Linz.
- Rachel Redmond has recorded for Harmonia Mundi with Bernard Cuiller and the musicians of Le Caravanserail and also for the Glossa label the 1st recording of the opera Isbe by Jean-Joseph Cassanea De Mondonville. She recently sang at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and for Opera national du Rhin, Strasbourg.
- Annabella Ellis is singing in the chorus for English National Opera.
- Daniel Barratt and Marcus Svietlicki will resume their studies this year at the RCM Opera School.
- Erin McCrystal is taking up a position in the chorus of Western Australia Opera.
- Recent RCS graduate Susanna Davies will begin her post graduate studies at RCM this year with a full scholarship.
- Ryan Sullivan will begin his new post as Vice Principal at Misk Schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.