Vocal Staff

Music and Performing Arts

HEAD OF VOCAL STUDIES / LECTURER IN MUSICAL THEATRE

Robert Miles
BA (Hons), PGCE

Robert works as a composer, musical director and vocal coach in all areas of musical theatre. His work as a musical director has included a diverse range of styles from musical theatre to classical oratorio. In addition, he has worked as a cabaret performer in a number of theatres and clubs. He has worked with both adults and young performers as musical director and regularly leading vocal workshops. He works freelance as a vocal coach, specialising in the development of repertoire and integration of acting and singing. As a freelance composer, he has written original material for Sky Television, BBC Radio and Paramount Comedy in addition to many vocal arrangements for repertory theatre companies. In addition to being Head of Vocal Studies, Rob is a lecturer at Colchester Institute specialising in Voice Craft and Contemporary Musical Theatre Contextual Studies and is trained in the Estill Method.

VOICE (CLASSICAL)

Helen Abbey

VOICE (CLASSICAL)

Patrick McCarthy

Patrick McCarthy has been a notable figure on Colchester’s musical scene for over twenty years. He was trained as a singer at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the London Opera Centre. His operatic and singing career has taken him all over the British Isles and Europe. Some music lovers may remember him replacing an ailing soloist at a televised Albert Hall Prom performance of Carmina Burana with the LSO and Chorus under André Previn back in 1974. Patrick currently has a busy schedule as musical director of the Witham and Dovercourt Choral Societies, the Ipswich Bach Choir and the Ipswich Chamber Orchestra, the Harwich Festival and, of course, the Colchester Bach Choir and Orchestra and the Colchester Philharmonic. He was for a time also conductor of the Clare and Maldon Choral Societies. Patrick is still often heard as a tenor soloist, having recently performed The Creation in Germany twice, Elijah at Brentwood Cathedral and the Monteverdi Vespers, and released a fourth CD for Hyperion with Peter Holman and the Parley of Instruments.

VOICE (MUSICAL THEATRE)

Ben Mann

VOICE (CLASSICAL)

Kate May

VOICE (CLASSICAL)

Lisa Roberts

VOICE (JAZZ/POP)

Louise Sofield
BMus (Jazz)

Louise was trained in Jazz Singing at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and also in Acting/Singing at the London Actors Centre. Her freelance professional singing career includes TV: Eurovision Song Contest (Belle and the Devotions), Top of the Pops, Pebble Mill, Breakfast Time, Song for Europe, Saturday Morning Picture Show, Tour for Europe(1984), Cheggars Plays Pop, and various featured TV commercials, photographic shoots and pop videos. In film: Sid and Nancy directed by Alex Cox 1985 and on stage: all major London jazz venues including Ronnie Scott's, Rhythmic 606, Vortex with the 18-piece band 40 Feet Forward and as lead vocalist for jazz quintet. Louise has also performed at Pizza on the Park with Clark Peters UK/German Tour of opera Hotel 1996/7 and is a regular member of 18-piece acapella choir The Shout, Contemporary Opera, Caleb Williams with the Shared Experience and the London Community Gospel Choir.

VOICE (MUSICAL THEATRE)

Neil Somerville
BA (Hons), DipABRSM

Neil is an active singing teacher, voice coach and musical director. His interests are primarily in musical theatre and his work as a musical director has taken him to New York, London and Edinburgh. As a singer he has appeared in all of the professional concert stages in Edinburgh and Glasgow and, as an experienced flautist, has worked as a session musician and freelance orchestral player all over Scotland.

VOICE (MUSICAL THEATRE)

Leon Trayman

VOICE (POPULAR MUSIC/JAZZ)

Emmy Urquhart

VOICE (CLASSICAL)

Simon Warne