My approach to teaching is based on personal encouragement and careful explanation of the mechanisms of singing. When appropriate, I also teach students how to read music in an easy and systematic way.

A book of practical approaches to singing by the Italian singing master Nicola Vaccai is used to develop the technical capabilities of students.

Students are given breathing exercises and physical exercises to build up relevant body strength. All voice lessons include vocal warm-ups and a lesson from Vaccai, and focus on the songs that are being worked on at the time.

As students develop their skills and repertoire, attention is given to performance skills. This is enhanced by a series of studio concerts for students of my singing school, which are held throughout the year.

My teaching focuses on the underlying poetry and words of the song so that an authoritative response to the composer’s intentions is given. This is particularly important for songs in languages other than English, where an accurate translation is essential for students’ understanding of what they are singing.