Maria Nicholas

Singing and Performance Tutor

A BIG VOICE- Maria
*BA Hons Graduate of The Arts 98’ *CRB Certified, *Musicians Union Member, *City & Guilds Qualified Teacher 7years+, *Experienced Singer/Performer 20years+ .An enthusiastic, confident vocalist with 20 years worth of studio recording, live performance and theatrical experience combined, under her ‘showbiz’ belt. Since the age of 6 she was drawn towards the performing arts where she obtained an honours pass in her first ballet/tap exam. From then on, she performed twice a year in various dance school productions, performing in ‘Annie’, ‘Peter and The Wolf’, ‘The Pied Piper of Hamelin’, ‘A Grain Of Mustard Seed’, and various other amateur theatre productions, singing, dancing and performing.

Born in the West Country, she moved away to Northamptonshire where she studied The Arts gaining a combined BA Honours degree graduating in '98’. After attending numerous vocal teaching courses, workshops and seminars (including London’s Royal Academy of Music) Maria obtained her teaching certificate. She has taught in various Primary and Secondary Schools across Northants, Bucks and Herts, (including cover work which she was headhunted for at Tring Arts Ed College and Stage Coach) alongside continuing to tutor privately.

Maria was approached by West End performer Sally Taylor (Lead performer in Cats) to help set up and run ‘Performance Central’-Singing/Dance/Drama School in 2007. She has since ran her own theatre workshops for various amateur dramatics societies, ‘SING for pleasure’ adult singing groups and now runs her own music/singing group for newborns-under fives ‘Tunes for Toddlers’ under the umbrella name, A BIG VOICE.

Having sung in pubs & clubs from the age of 18years, it was her first band of four years, “Tequila Mockingbird”, which launched her singing career where she gigged throughout Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and the South East.
She has since worked with various other bands-‘San Rameo’, ‘Who’s Got The Dog’-(A 'ten piece' function band with a brass section) and deputised for ‘Cocktail’. Maria has experience singing/performing onboard Cruise ship ‘Serenade’ and has also worked aboard Brittany Ferries with Jazz/Covers band ‘Evolution’. As a studio artist she has recorded lead and backing vocals for various bands including most recently ‘Elemental Joe’ and ‘King Click’. Maria’s continued to perform in various shows (‘Flesh and The Mirror’, ‘The Pirates of Pepper Rock’ ‘The Pepper X-Factor’, Guest singer performing various ‘Canal/Waterways’ songs leading the Drayton Parslow singers at the Leighton Buzzard theatre. She continues to sings lead regularly as part of an acoustic duo called ‘Cover-Up’, with her husband Mark, (also a professional musician/guitarist & tutor).

Maria’s voice is very flexible and easily adapts from singing funky/powerful rock covers, to the softer/slow dance/jazz melodies. She sings all genres of music her taste is rather eclectic, but she leans more towards Soul/Soft Rock and Pop music. Having run theatre workshops for professionals and workshops for beginners, Maria is a well rounded, flexible tutor offering tailored lessons to anyone keen to learn how to improve their natural singing voice. .Powered by ClikpicTemplate by Subtense