On a personal level as a singer, what has been the most important thing you’ve learned about leading singing sessions?
When I was pregnant, I went to yoga classes and learned some breathing exercises, which I’ve used ever since as a core part of my vocal training practice. I took that particular set of exercises and I changed and adapted them slightly to be relevant for a focus around breath and singing. I think I’ve used them in every single session I’ve ever run and I think I’ve taught them in every single training group I’ve ever taught, so they’re probably all over England by now!

Can you highlight a positive moment, when you’ve witnessed a great vocal leader getting the best from a group of primary school children singing?

I was the Education & Community Adviser for Northern Sinfonia before taking up my present post. We were involved with a primary school in Gateshead that had a very challenged community. There was a moment when we were in a whole-school assembly and the Head Teacher indicated for the whole school to stand and sing to me and the other musicians what they had been doing. They sang a beautiful Czech folk song in three-part harmony, (for which I’d left the music for all three parts, but had only taught the tune because I hadn’t expected them to be able to achieve that without us). The Head’s inspirational leadership had got on the bus and said “we can do this!”, and it was absolutely unbelievable! The singing was great – it was more than I had expected. It also taught me never to underestimate what you can achieve with children if they’re committed and they can see the value.

What makes a good vocal leader in your opinion?

• I think that wanting to do it is actually really important!
• Being curious and well informed.
• Taking the trouble to develop yourself professionally.
• Being positive with people.
• I think a good vocal leader is humble and ambitious.

Is high quality vocal leadership as important in an informal singing session as it is with a competition-standard choir?
I think an informal singing session that is not run well, can stop people ever singing again. So it’s absolutely vital that the quality of that leadership is high. And in a competition-standard choir, it’s absolutely vital that the details of the musical interpretation are accurate and right. Across the whole range of contexts, the leadership needs to be of high quality otherwise the outcomes can’t be well met.

Why is high quality training so vital for vocal leaders?

If people aren’t trained well they can’t deliver well. You need to be having access to good experiences and good role models in order to improve. If you can’t improve, then the children you work with can’t improve. For me, that really is a no-brainer. It shouldn’t even be a question – we want high quality training for the whole of the children’s workforce.