Egglescliffe School in Stockton has become the first Samling Singing School and the start of a new initiative for classical singing in the North East. Over the next three years we will embrace six state schools across the region spreading Samling Institute’s core principles of healthy and natural vocal production, commitment to text and learning through doing.
Over six weeks, sixty students in the school choir and soloists from years 9 and 10 have received coaching from Samling Artist Miranda Wright. She also worked with the school music staff and provided guidance about suitable classical repertoire for developing voices. This first phase of the programme ended with a performance for families and friends at which the singers demonstrated what they learned.
‘We chose Egglescliffe School because we knew we would get school-wide support for this investment which is essential and the progress the students made was palpable,’ said Samling Institute’s director Karon Wright.
Matthew Haworth, Subject Leader of Music at Egglescliffe said, ‘I passionately believe that the best way to inspire our students is to expose them to excellence. Samling Institute is helping us to achieve this by bringing in truly world-class artists and coaches to inspire our students and staff and we are already seeing the amazing impact of this work. We are thrilled to be the first Samling Singing School!’
We will be continuing to support singing at Egglescliffe and we are now making plans to add two more schools to what will become a network of Singing Schools from the Rivers Tweed to the Tees.
Photo: Egglescliffe students Tilly, Sophie, Amely, Ayah and Oliver who took part in solo workshops as part of Samling Singing Schools.
