For the past few weeks (and this will continue for the next month) I’ve had consistent repertoire and vocal coaching with Lionel Bams. This has been in preparation of auditions for the conservatoires in the UK that I’m applying to – that is the Royal College of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Guildhall School. These are very demanding conservatoires that are rated among the top music schools in the world. I would be extremely happy if I could get an offer from at least one of them.
I know Lionel Bams because he was the musical director of The Mikado, a comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, produced by BLOC, the Brussels Light Opera Company, in June 2024, in which I sang in the chorus. Lionel is accompanist and coach at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel and at the Brussels Royal Conservatoire, and in the past he worked for the Choirs of the European Union.
My auditions will be taking place in London throughout November and December 2025. Each Conservatoire has its own requirements for exactly what repertoire to present, so the five pieces I’ve chosen to prepare which cover all the language and style requirements are:
- Music For a While – Henry Purcell (English, Baroque, Song)
- Erlkönig – Franz Schubert (German, Romantic, Lied)
- Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle, recitativo and aria from Roméo et Juilette – Charles Gounod (French, Romantic, Opera)
- Saper vorreste, aria from Un ballo in maschera – Giuseppe Verdi (Italian, Romantic, Opera)
- Nuit d’étoiles – Claude Debussy (French, Impressionist, Mélodie)
This is a test video of my Baroque piece – I may post more advanced work in the coming weeks.
| Conservatoire | Known For | Location | Notable Alumni | Class Size |
| Royal Academy of Music | Classical excellence | London | Elton John, Katherine Jenkins | 8–12 students |
| Royal College of Music | Composition masters | London | Andrew Lloyd Webber, Gustav Holst | 6–10 students |
| Guildhall School of Music & Drama | Acting powerhouse | London | Anne Sofie Von Otter, Joseph Fiennes | 12–16 students |
| Royal Conservatoire of Scotland | Scottish traditional music | Glasgow | Alan Cumming, James McAvoy | 8–14 students |
I plan to apply to other European conservatoires later on – the British application deadlines are the earliest ones.
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