A Mentoring Space for Adult Classical Singers: inside Virtually Vocalise

There comes a point in every adult classical singer’s development where more lessons, more advice, or more isolated practice just isn’t enough. You know there’s more to your voice, more to your artistry, but the path forward isn’t always clear.

What you’re looking for now is structure, reflection, continuity, and the kind of thoughtful, experienced support that helps you take responsibility for your own vocal development with simplicity and purpose.

That’s what online mentorship can offer. And it’s exactly what I provide in Virtually Vocalise: a responsive, artist-led mentoring space for adult classical singers, built on reflection, connection, and a shared love of the repertoire. It’s not a programme. It’s a musical home for those who want to grow with purpose, alongside like-minded others.

A Framework That Supports Real Learning

Virtually Vocalise was founded in 2017. It was for singers who were already on their way; those who had built some technical foundations, who had performed or studied before, and who were ready to grow more independently. Singers who were asking deeper questions about their process, their musicianship, and their artistic direction. Singers who needed the support of a small, collaborative community, one that welcomed curiosity, consistency, and the real, sometimes slow work of growth.

These days, we still follow a loosely framed timetable. For example, each week members submit a short, fifteen-minute filmed session, which we affectionately call our Friday Just One Take. It’s not a performance. It’s a fly-on-the-wall glimpse into your current practice: what you’re working on, what you’re experimenting with, and how you’re building your skills in real time.

But there’s far more to Virtually Vocalise than just Fridays. Over time, we’ve built a rhythm that supports consistent artistic growth, from regular live-streamed feedback sessions to monthly explorations of musicianship, vocal technique, and performance mindset. Some weeks include Friday Performance Joy, an opportunity to share more polished repertoire work, while others bring collaborative studies or preparation for upcoming in-person events.

While Virtually Vocalise is grounded in online mentorship, we do come together in person, too. Throughout the year, I host a small number of members-only in-person events here in the UK - a chance to work together face-to-face, deepen the shared learning, and connect even more closely with each other.

Together, this structure creates a reflective, sustaining rhythm: one that keeps you accountable, supported, and actively developing your voice, your musicianship, and your confidence as a classical singer.

A Digital Conservatoire of Sorts

All of our work is recorded, transcribed, and archived within our private online space, a digital studio library that you can revisit time and again. This includes:

• Your weekly videos

• Our full group playback sessions

• Audio recordings of our live conversations

• Full written transcripts of each session

• Detailed written evaluations and commentary on your progress

We’re not working from a set curriculum. We’re building a personalised, reflective learning archive, week by week, so you can see your development unfold.

Virtually Vocalise might be described as a kind of digital conservatoire. It’s not a course. It’s not a “content drop.” It’s a living, evolving space for guided development, with enough structure to support you and enough freedom to honour your individuality. You set your pace. You choose the repertoire. You decide where your voice is headed next, and I support you in getting there.

The Role of Mentorship

What makes this model different is the way feedback is offered. There’s no over-correction, no hand-holding, no pressure to “fix” things immediately. Instead, you’re encouraged to observe and reflect first,  to sit with your own musical questions, to listen carefully to yourself and others, and then to act when you feel ready.

It’s mentorship with intention. Not passive learning,  but engaged guidance that gives you tools to make your own decisions. And with time, this builds real confidence, something that comes from knowing what you’re doing and why.

That’s the goal here: not just to sing better, but to understand your process more deeply. To build something that lasts.

Looking Ahead: A New Season of Growth

As we prepare for the new academic year in September 2025, Virtually Vocalise is evolving.

I’ll be introducing new tiered membership options. These tiers are designed to offer greater flexibility, whether you're looking for light-touch feedback and community support or more in-depth, one-to-one mentorship and tailored evaluations.

And, if you're curious about joining Virtually Vocalise, I’ll be hosting a couple of special live-streamed study sessions in late September '25. A small number of interested singers will be invited to join us for an online session. It’s an informal opportunity to see how the mentoring works in real time: how we reflect, how we listen, and how we support each other through the learning process.

If that sounds like something you’d like to do, now is the time to begin preparing. Think about your repertoire - a piece that reflects where you are vocally, or where you'd like to go. In Virtually Vocalise, we often work with accompaniment tracks and light preparation, so choose something that allows you to feel both supported and curious.

You don’t need to be ready now,  but beginning to prepare is, in itself, part of the work.

The Work is the Work

Mentorship, no matter how thoughtful or well-structured, can only take you so far. At a certain point, you have to do the work. That’s what makes the difference. That’s what builds strength, resilience, and artistry.

As Seth Godin puts it:

“You can learn how to do what you don't know how to do. You can improve your skills, get better tools and do the hard work of actually getting better at the work. But most of all, you can realise that the most urgent work is the work of dancing with our fear, because the fear is the real reason the work isn't getting done.”

This is the philosophy at the heart of Virtually Vocalise: to build a space where you can do the real work, not alone, but with support, structure, and a strong sense of direction. A space where classical singers can grow not just in voice, but in musicianship, confidence, and self-trust.

Yes, Virtually Vocalise. And think vocal-ease. If this sounds like the kind of work you'd like to explore, you can find out more about how to join Virtually Vocalise here.

If you're based in the UK and curious to experience Virtually Vocalise in a more personal way, I’ll be leading a masterclass event on 14 September 2025 in the lovely acoustic of the Jubilee Hall in Winsham, Somerset. This is a unique opportunity to observe my approach to mentoring in action and to meet some members of the Virtually Vocalise community. Note: The application deadline for active participation has now passed; however, observers are still welcome. You can find full details and register your interest via the event information page.

If that speaks to where you are now, I’d love to hear from you.