Messages from our foundation singers - Edward Laurenson
Posted on 22 December 2016
The colder days are setting in, temperatures have started to drop quite sharply and the sunshine is slowly disappearing, as I head into my third year in London. I have now finished my second year at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and completed my Master of Performance. My final results arrived in the post last weekend, and I am thrilled to be graduating with Distinction! I am so proud to have achieved this, and want to thank everyone for all their help over the last two years, especially my financial supporters and teachers.
My plan for this year is to stay on in London in order to take advantage of the opportunities to learn privately, prepare and consolidate new repertoire and roles, and cast the net as wide as possible in auditioning with leading opera programmes and professional performance prospects across Europe.
Having access to my current teachers and coaches on a private basis will allow me to continue to develop my vocal technique, and further strengthen my connections with key people in the industry. I am immensely grateful for the continued support that is helping to make this possible.
Last year was an incredible period of growth in terms of my vocal technique and artistic development. Working closely with so many world-renowned teachers on a weekly basis has enabled me to develop my craft, and has provided me with countless opportunities that I feel very fortunate to have been able to experience.
My lessons with Yvonne Kenny (distinguished Australian soprano and teacher) continue to be extremely valuable and I have made significant progress in my vocal development as a consequence of several breakthroughs. Yvonne has also been helpful in preparing me for a number of auditions and competitions this year, with many of these being in front of some of the most influential people in opera here in the UK.
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has been very generous with her time and I’d like to especially acknowledge the help she gave me in preparing for my National Opera Studio audition. Her encouragement and guidance as I approached the end of my studies at the Guildhall and started to plan my third year in London, comprising private tuition with leading tutors, coaches and professionals in the world of opera, and auditioning for leading young artist programmes, studios, and professional performance opportunities have been very much appreciated.