When and where was your first experience of music / singing?

My first experience of music was through musical theatre! I went to a performing arts school at the weekend from when I was 4, where we learnt dance, drama, and singing in classes, and I absolutely loved it! We did shows every year and that was my first experience of performing onstage, and I loved the atmosphere of the theatre and putting on shows. Then when I was 7, a group from the performing arts school got to dance and sing in the professional pantomime in my hometown Wycombe, so I did that for 5 years. I started learning the flute when I was 8 at school and that started my journey into playing in ensembles, and I started singing in
choirs.

Where did you grow up? Did you have access to classical music?

I grew up in High Wycombe, and my mum is a primary school music teacher, so yes I had access to classical music and the world of music education was always around – I was aware of how music could be a career in the education sector. Now I am very passionate about education and outreach, and I think that is partly because of how important music accessibility and education was for me in my upbringing. I joined the music hub in Bucks when I was 8 and that exposed me to classical music through orchestra and we went to the Royal Albert Hall with the music hub, which was another impactful experience to see the venues that classical music could be performed in.

What has been your most memorable performance so far?

My most memorable performance is from earlier this year, for the National Youth Choirs 40th anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall. What was so incredible was seeing the whole organisation join together in song – all the choirs, the staff, the alumni – and the sound was just so powerful because it meant so much to everyone to sing together. Having the perspective now of what music means to me and how much it has shaped who I am made this performance feel so poignant, and I went away feeling so inspired about how I can be a part of positive change within the music industry.

What would your dream performance be?

My dream performance would definitely be some kind of choral or ensemble singing, as part of a real visual spectacle, combining the singing with dancers or lighting design/image projections to tell a story.

What are you looking forward to with Genesis Sixteen? 

I cannot wait to meet lots of wonderful people who enjoy singing as much as I do! I think when everyone is so passionate about the same thing you can create real magical moments. And I feel that I am going to learn so so much from everyone I meet!

Outside of singing, what do you like to do in your spare time?

I love to dance, and be part of musical theatre productions in various ways – performing in them, being an MD, playing in the band. I also love going to watch shows and concerts when I can. I am famously useless at cooking but the one thing I can do is bake nice cookies if I do say so myself!

Are you still in education? Are you in any other young artists schemes?

I’m not in education, but I am a Creative Learning Ambassador with the Benedetti Foundation this year! This is such a wonderful training scheme, and we have lots of zoom sessions discussing so many aspects of music – about education, performing, our practice, and big topics like what it means to be a musician. I am also a member of the National Youth Choir and Chamber Choir, and a Soprano section leader within this, which is such an incredible organisation to be part of.

Outside of performances with Genesis Sixteen, have you got any concerts coming up?

I am in a choir called Commotio, singing contemporary choral music, and we have just had our summer concert. I currently work in a secondary school, and in July we had our summer jazz afternoon concert, where I conducted and sung, and then we took the students to sing a choral evensong service in Arundel Cathedral. This August, I am singing with National Youth Choir for our summer course and concert. I put on a concert a few years ago just for fun and to fundraise so I am excitingly in the planning stages to do one again in September!