Recent Masterclass weeks:

Masterclass Week
Sunday 28th January – Sunday 4th February

Philip Langridge joined the Samling Masterclass team with Patricia MacMahon, actors Richard Pasco and Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Paul Farrington and pianists Caroline Dowdle and Sophia Rahman to lead the first masterclass week of the year with another six specially selected young singers. They were sopranos Norah King and Nicola Mills; mezzo-soprano, Rowan Hellier; Luciano Botelho, tenor; Nuno de Araujo Pereira, baritone; Ronald Nairne, bass baritone.

Public Masterclass: Wednesday 31st January 2-5pm
Hall Two, The Sage Gateshead

Tickets: £7.50

Masterclass concert: Saturday 3rd February 7pm
Hall Two, The Sage Gateshead

An entertaining evening of words and music with the course leaders and the six young singers of this masterclass - the climax of the week's work.

Tickets: £26, £18, £12, £6

Available from The Sage Gateshead:
Box Office: 0191 443 4661
Online: www.thesagegateshead.org

Masterclass Week

Sunday 19th - Monday 27th November 2006

Led by Patron Sir Thomas Allen, Patricia MacMahon, Paul Farrington and pianists Malcolm Martineau and Simon Over, another six specially selected young singers - Rhona McKail, Claire Surman, Anna Grevelius, Mark Chaundy, Viktor Rudd, and Patrice Lamure - were taken through a week-long course of intensive sessions with the course leaders.

Masterclass Open afternoon
Wednesday 22nd November 2006  

Members of the public were given another chance to see a masterclass session in action. They spent an enjoyable afternoon finding out exactly what it takes to become a professional singer when Sir Thomas Allen, Patricia MacMahon and the masterclass team worked closely with the young singers developing and refining their performance skills.

Masterclass Gala Concert
Saturday 25th November 2006   
The Samling Foundation marked ten years of its unique masterclass programme with a captivating evening of songs and opera - the climax of the week's masterclass.

In rehearsal in Hall Two at The Sage Gateshead

With Paddy Lewis of UBS Wealth Management, sponsors of the event

"Thank you Samling Foundation for the most amazing week. I can't really begin to put into words what a fantastic experience it has been. Tom, Pat, Paul, Malcolm and Simon were wonderful and so generous with their time, knowledge and expertise. They were also a complete joy to spend the week with. I have so much information and advice to process and I know that it has already, and will continue to have a huge impact on my singing. As for the opportunity to perform the Onegin scene with Tom and Malcolm - it is the highlight of my career so far, and I will be more than happy if it remains so for the rest of my working life!!"

Claire Surman

Masterclass Week
Sunday 5th February - Monday 13th February 2006
The week was led by Isobel Buchanan and Paul Farrington with actors Barbara Leigh-Hunt and Richard Pasco and pianists Caroline Dowdle and Chris Glynn. Six specially selected young singers - Pumeza Matshikiza, Katrina Broderick, Elizabeth Key, Nicky Spence, Njabulo Thabiso Madlala and Nikola Matisic - were given the opportunity to work intensively with our course leaders.

Masterclass Open Afternoon
Wednesday 8th February 2pm-5pm, St Cuthbert's Church, Carlisle.
Members of the public were invited to see a masterclass session in an afternoon of exciting music making.

'Words and Music'
Saturday 11th February 7pm, St Cuthbert's Church, Carlisle.

The climax of the masterclass week, this gala concert featured both the young singers and the course leaders in a one-off evening of songs, arias and readings.

        

Choral Day
Monday 13th February 10am-2.30pm, St Cuthbert's Church, Carlisle.
School children from around the region were invited to take part in a choral day led by Paul Farrington and Simon Over with pianist Caroline Dowdle and Samling Scholar Njabulo Thabiso

Masterclass Week
Sunday 13th November - Sunday 20th November 2005 at Farlam Hall in Cumbria and at The Sage Gateshead. The Samling Foundation's first Masterclass week in the North East was led by Patricia MacMahon, Della Jones, Paul Farrington, Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Richard Pasco, Simon Over and Caroline Dowdle with this year's specially selected young singers - Martene Grimson, Anna Stéphany, Celeste Lazarenko, Flora McIntosh, Benjamin Segal and James Harrison.

Caroline Dowdle, Paul Farrington and Flora McIntosh

Open Afternoon
Wednesday 16th November 2pm - 5pm, The Sage Gateshead

Members of the public were invited to come and observe the Samling Foundation team and young singers in action during a Masterclass session.

Gala Concert
Saturday 19th November 7pm, The Sage Gateshead
An evening of words and music starred the six young masterclass singers and featured special performances by the course leaders.

Choral Day
Monday 21st November , 10am-2.30pm, St Cuthbert's Church, Carlisle. Schoolchildren from around the region took part in a choral day led by Paul Farrington and Simon Over, with Samling Scholar Flora McIntosh and pianist Caroline Dowdle.

'I am writing to thank The Samling Foundation for such a fantastic singing day on Monday. The pupils and staff all benefitted a great deal from the day and we took along some fairly reticent boys for the first time who are now keen to sing in our choir regularly. The vocal coaches were fun and inspirational and being on TV was the icing on the cake!' Marie Lee - Head of Music, Keswick School

Masterclass Choral Day with Cumbrian Schools	Patricia MacMahon and Celeste Lazarenko
Paul Farrington, Simon Over and James Harrison	Paul Farrington and Benjamin Segal

Masterclass Week
Sunday 13th March - Sunday 20th March 2005
Led by Della Jones, Paul Farrington and Malcolm Martineau with pianist Caroline Dowdle and this year's specially selected young singers - Gail Johnston, Shuna Sendall, Monica Brett-Crowther, John Llewelyn Evans, Adrian Ward and Javier Borda.

Picture Katie Stockwell

Open Afternoon, Wednesday 16th March 2pm - 5pm
Penrith Methodist Church

Gala Concert, Saturday 19th March 7pm
St Cuthbert's Church, Carlisle

Choral Day, Monday March 10am-2.30pm
St Cuthbert's Church, Carlisle

Masterclass Week
31st October-8th November 2004
Led by Sir Thomas Allen with an international team of artists, teachers and coaches in support including vocal consultant Paul Farrington, teachers Patricia MacMahon, Barbara Leigh Hunt and Richard Pasco and pianists Malcolm Martineau and Simon Over. 

With six outstanding young professional singers Katherine Manley, Simona Mihai, Madeleine Shaw, Stefan Holmström, Ben Hulett and Marc Labonnette.

(go to Masterclass page.

Katherine Manley and Paul Farrington	Ben Hulett
Sir Thomas Allen	Patricia MacMahon and Madeleine Shaw

18 - 26 April 2004
Led by Sir Thomas Allen with an international team of artists, teachers and coaches in support including vocal consultant Paul Farrington, teacher Patricia MacMahon and pianists Caroline Dowdle and Simon Over.

This spring's specially selected young singers were Mezzo Susan Atherton, Soprano Alexandra Rigazzi-Tarling, Mezzo Wendy Dawn Thompson, Tenor Jonas Duran, Tenor Ed Lyon and Baritone Byron Watson.

Public events took place at St Cuthbert's Church, Carlisle:

Open afternoon; Wednesday 21st April 2-5pm

Gala Concert; Saturday 24th April 7pm

Choral Day; Monday 26th April 10am - 2.30pm

See review

2nd - 9th November 2003

Led by Isobel Buchanan and Paul Farrington, with pianists Simon Over and Caroline Dowdle, this week offered a unique opportunity for another six young singers to study and explore the dynamics of opera and song.

For the first time the Foundation invited two great artists from the classical acting tradition - Barbara Leigh Hunt and Richard Pasco - to be part of the week. This is in keeping with the Foundation's desire to bring artists from different disciplines together to share approaches and interpretation.

There were two opportunities for schools and the public to see the results of this dynamic:

Open Afternoon of Masterclasses (Wednesday 5th November)
Gala Performance (Saturday 8th November).

ALSO
Choral Workshops, Monday 10th November

Venue: Penrith Methodist Church

30th March - April 6th 2003

Led by Sarah Walker, with an acclaimed team of artists and coaches in support, including Paul Farrington, Patricia MacMahon, Simon Over and Julia Lynch, this programme offered a week-long period of study for six outstanding young singers.

There were two opportunities for schools and the public to see the results of this intensive period of study:

Open Afternoon of Masterclasses (Wednesday 2nd April)
Gala Performance (Saturday 5th April).

ALSO
Choral Workshops ( Monday 1st April)

Venue : Penrith Methodist Church (seating capacity 350)

For details of masterclasses before 2003
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