The Aria Lab

Conservatoire auditions?

You don't have to work it all out alone.

Preparing for conservatoire auditions can feel exciting - and completely overwhelming!

You've learnt the notes, translated the text, listened to recordings, but now you’re wondering:

Am I asking the right questions?
Does my character make sense?
Am I just copying someone else's interpretation?
How do I make this aria feel like mine?
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If any of that sounds familiar, you're in the right place!

​Sound like your thing? Get in touch to book your session

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The workshop I wish someone had offered me

When I was preparing my own conservatoire auditions, I knew how to learn the notes.

What nobody showed me was how to prepare an aria. How to get under the skin of the character, and build a performance that felt truthful and uniquely my own.

Over the years I've developed a practical preparation process that I now use with my own students.
The Aria Lab is a safe place to play, experiment and get your teeth into that process. And to work through it with someone beside you.

Together, we’ll find what feels right for you.


What we'll do together

​We'll begin with a short coaching session so I can hear where you are with your aria. Then we'll put the kettle on, and work through your aria from the inside out.

We'll translate every word, explore the character, ask questions and explore how the text and music intersect.

​When we've uncovered enough to experiment with, we'll head back to the piano and put everything into practice together.

The Aria Lab process

Rather than giving you my interpretation, I'll teach you a preparation process that you can use for every aria you learn.

Together we'll explore:

✓ Word-for-word translation and IPA
✓ A practical way to organise your practice
✓ Character analysis and dramatic context
✓ Objectives and playable actions
✓ Atmosphere and storytelling
✓ Strategies for managing audition nerves
✓ How to bring all of this into performance

You'll also leave with beautifully designed worksheets and resources so you can use the same process independently with the rest of your audition repertoire.

You'll leave with
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✓ One confidently prepared audition aria
✓ A clear, repeatable approach to preparing your whole audition package
✓ Practical tools you'll use again and again
✓ Greater confidence in your artistic decisions
✓ The reassurance that you don't have to second-guess every choice you make

Who is it for?

The Aria Lab is designed for singers preparing undergraduate or postgraduate conservatoire auditions.

Whether you're feeling stuck, overwhelmed or simply curious to dig deeper into your repertoire, this workshop is designed to help you become a more thoughtful, confident and independent performer.


Why work with me?

​I'm a professional soprano, writer and teacher with a longstanding fascination for language, storytelling and character.
My students have gone on to win scholarships and places at the Royal Academy of Music, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, RNCM, Trinity Laban, Birmingham Conservatoire, The Hague, and Oxford University.
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What I love most is helping young singers discover that preparing an aria isn't about finding the ‘right’ interpretation. It’s about asking better questions to find what feels right to you.

The details

Where: Guiseley, Leeds
When: September–October 2026
Cost: £180

Tea, coffee, cake and workshop materials included.

​Ready to get started? Get in touch to book your slot

Sessions are arranged individually according to availability.

Testimonials

Jen is a fantastic singing teacher. I started my lessons with her after almost 10 years without singing training. Jen has helped me so much with singing technique, pronunciation for songs in other European languages and also my confidence. She is such a fun and patient teacher and is so incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to the physical process of singing. Thank you for everything, Jen!"
- Catherine Pearson