• Course Dates
    February 12, 2027 6:30 pm –
    February 14, 2027 4:00 pm
  • Observer Pass
    February 13, 2027
    11:00 am - 1:00 pm

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Level: All
Fee: £390

Finding Your Voice: Freedom, Expression & the Art of Solo Singing

with Jeff Stewart

What makes a solo performance truly compelling?
It isn’t volume, perfection, or even vocal power — it’s communication.

This inspiring weekend course is designed for amateur singers of all abilities who want to grow in confidence, freedom, and expressive depth as soloists. Whether you’re new to singing alone or already performing and looking to deepen your artistry, this course will help you unlock a more authentic and communicative voice.
Led by Jeff Stewart — tenor, conductor, voice teacher at the Royal College of Music, and founder of They Shall Laugh & Sing — the weekend draws on many years of professional performance and teaching. At its heart is the same ethos that underpins Jeff’s work with singers across the UK and abroad: that singing is at its most powerful when it is generous, joyful, and rooted in genuine human connection.

Rather than pursuing technical perfection for its own sake, we’ll explore how breath, intention, text, imagination, and physical presence combine to bring music vividly to life. Through supportive workshops, practical exercises, and opportunities to sing in a relaxed and encouraging environment, you’ll gain tools to sing with greater freedom and ease, communicate text with clarity and colour, and develop confidence in solo performance.

There will be opportunities for individual coaching as well as group sessions exploring interpretation, performance psychology, and the art of musical storytelling.

Above all, this weekend is about rediscovering why you sing — and allowing that joy to be visible and audible in every phrase.

Come ready to experiment, to be courageous, to laugh, and to sing.

We asked our course leaders to answer a few questions about their course and teaching:

  • A feeling of freedom, joy and self-worth which spills over from singing into daily life.
  • An understanding of how to grow technically in order to open up greater vocal opportunities.
  • A growing understanding that absolutely anything is possible.

My teaching style is based around a focus on the good things in a voice, and having fun letting those things influence the voice as a whole. I have a very positive approach which is strongly influenced by use of principles learned in the field of personal development and which can be used to influence singing.

I am an avid sports fan. It doesn’t really matter which sport, if it’s competitive, I will enjoy it. I love going to the theatre, I enjoy meditation and I spend a great deal of time following and reading work by life coaches and business development coaches.

Some course feedback:

The studio is a wonderful place to be, and we were very lucky to be able to spend time outdoors in the beautiful surroundings

I always feel much healthier after a spell at Jackdaws!

I can’t imagine there could be a more supportive and encouraging environment for learning…

Read more about what participants say about Jackdaws Courses.

A £100 deposit is required to secure your place on this course. The balance of fees, including accommodation, is due 3 weeks before the course start date.

You can also buy an Observer Pass for this course. The Observer Pass entitles you to attend on SATURDAY from 11am–1pm as an observer only and costs £10. This can be redeemed against a subsequent course booking. Places are limited. More info and terms and conditions here.

Details Price Qty
Attendee - Deposit £100.00 GBP  
Observer Pass £10.00 GBP  

Venue:  

Venue Phone: 07880 091066

Address:
Jackdaws Music Education Trust, Great Elm, Frome, BA11 3NY, United Kingdom

Description:

Course Information

Is this Course right for me?

The answer is probably yes as we welcome musicians of all abilities and backgrounds on our courses but if you would like to find out more before you book please read about our course levels, or email or call our office manager Karolyn on 07880 091066 / music@jackdaws.org and she will be able to offer further guidance.

If you are still unsure then maybe consider one of our “Try before you buy” Observer Passes which enable you to come and see one session in action.

Full Observer places may also be bookable for a whole weekend subject to availability. Call / email the office for more information.

Please see our General Course Information pages for further details and schedule information.

Our Courses are for adult musicians (except where stated) and take place at Jackdaws in Great Elm, near Frome in Somerset. The Course Fee includes all tuition, meals and refreshments at Jackdaws. Courses take place in the main studio, with Steinway piano, and generally follow a masterclass format. There are several practice rooms here, too.

Repertoire

For Voice, Piano & Wind courses; participants are usually requested to prepare 2 – 3 pieces in advance. We will ask you to provide a repertoire list for the tutor (& accompanist) ahead of the course.

For Ensemble courses; direction will be given by the course leaders.

Accommodation

If you require B&B, we can arrange that for you; accommodation fees are payable in addition to the course fee.

Meals and Refreshments

Lunch, Supper and morning/afternoon refreshments will be prepared on site by our dedicated Cooks.  If you are vegetarian/vegan, or have a food allergy, you must let us know in advance, so that our cooks can plan the meals for the weekend accordingly. We are ‘allergy aware’, but we rely on participants letting us know if they have specific food allergies. Please also let us know if you carry any emergency medication.

By booking onto a Jackdaws course you agree to abide by our Terms and Conditions and understand the Privacy Policy regarding our handling of your data.