STEPHEN HOLLOWAY

Singing and Performance teacher

Stephen's voice is a real basso cantante, dark in colour and bright in timbre, with a ringing top. It is ideal for the Italian bass repertoire, and probably the reason he gets asked to sing so many performances of the Verdi Requiem! He made his professional debut in 1992, since when he has built up an enviable reputation in opera, concert and recital work.

Stephen graduated in economics from Christ's College, Cambridge, and began his singing studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Ellis Keeler, where he was a student on the Post-Diploma Vocal Training course. While at the Guildhall he sang the role of Bartolo in the college production of the Marriage of Figaro.

After graduating from the Guildhall he subsequently studied with Vera Rosza, Madge Stephens, Dennis Wickes, Angela Hickey and, currently, Neil Howlett.

Stephen has also participated in Masterclasses at the Britten-Pears School with John Carol Case, Sir Peter Pears, Paul Esswood, Galina Vishnevskaya, Steuart Bedford, Colin Graham and Nancy Evans, and at Brereton was a student of Horst Gunter.

Since 1992 Stephen has performed for many opera companies and choirs, both in the UK and abroad. Notable debuts include the Royal Festival Hall as Christus in Bach's St John Passion, Don Fernando in Fidelio with Scottish Opera, and in Pftzner's Palestrina with the Royal Opera.

Stephen now combines his performing career with a thriving teaching practice from his studio in the centre of Lincoln.

Offering: private lessons
Aimed at: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.
Rates: £25 per hour

Private Teaching

The art that conceals art!

In order to be truly expressive you need to be in total command of your technique.

Stephen has a very technical approach to teaching and places great emphasis on the correct placing of the voice. This is essential to achieve evenness of timbre and projection throughout the ranges of pitch and dynamic, and across all vowels. With this in place, your voice is at the command of your artistic expression.

While Stephen's voice has always been an instrument of great quality, ease of production at the top of the voice and through the passagio never came easily. Conseqently the difficulties he had and the extensive study required to overcome them has given him a deep understanding of the vocal mechanism in these areas.

When working as a professional singer opera companies and choirs are not so much interested in the best you can produce on a good day, more in how good you are on a bad day - in other words, what is the minimum quality they are going to get! You therefore need an excellent technique to give you the capability to perform well, whatever vocal difficulties or stresses you may be undergoing.

If you feel that your voice has more potential than it is currently achieving, or you have vocal problems that seem unsurmountable, why not have a free consultation with Stephen at his studio in Lincoln? You have nothing to lose and it may just unlock the key to freeing your voice!

Teaching locations: 
I teach from home (or a fixed venue)
Location: 
St Catherines, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
Rates: 
£25 per hour
Based in
Lincoln, GB