Farnborough Vocal School

Zania Ballentine

"Music is my life and passion and it always has been.  I can still remember seeing my mum on stage with her band when I was 6. Three years ago, after years of wanting to learn to sing, I finally took the challenge!  My passion for singing just keeps growing and being around like-minded people gives me such support and motivation."

 

Zania passed her Grade 3 ABRSM singing exam with Distinction and is currently working towards her Grade 5.

Sarah Barratt

Sarah started studying with Anthea in June 2007. She is a young musical theatre singer and has performed with local group CAMUS. Sarah passed her Grade 5 Music Theatre exam Christmas 2008 with Distinction and is working towards her next exam.

Leonie Burton


Hazel Card

“I’ve been singing in choirs and choral societies for 30 years. Although confident singing within the anonymity of 100 other voices I was always terrified at the prospect of going solo.  Singing lessons with Anthea have been a revelation – the changes in my voice have been nothing less than dramatic.  Anthea is helping me find my true voice (so very different from the voice I thought I had!) and be comfortable and confident with it; she is gradually unleashing my inner Brϋnnhilde!”

Jan Chislett

“I was brought up in a musical family and started learning piano at the age of 8 years. It was at the age that I also sang my first solo on stage and since then I have really loved singing and performing in musical shows, both operatic and musical and have taken many varied leading roles such as Gianetta in “Gondoliers”, Princess Ida in “Princess Ida”, Nelly Forbush in “South Pacific”, and played principal boy in six pantomimes.

It was whilst taking part in “The Gondoliers” with Savoy Singers, Camberley, that I first met Anthea – a mere teenager! It was obvious she was destined for great things but I never envisaged that one day I would be thoroughly enjoying having singing lessons with her. I just love her teaching methods and feel that, after going to many singing teachers over the years, I am at last finding my real voice and it’s exciting! It just shows it is never too late to learn.”

India Claydon-Richards

India has been studying with Anthea since January 2007 and enjoys performing in musical theatre. She passed her Grade 1 Music Theatre with Distinction and is now working towards her Grade 2 exam.

Charlotte Emily Day

Lottie has been learning singing with Anthea since she was 6, and she also plays the flute. She recently passed her Grade 4 Singing exam with a Merit.

Penny Grant

Penny has been singing for years, and teaches at St Helen and St Katharine's school, Abingdon.  She hopes to pursue her singing as far as possible in future.

Alanna Harding

Alanna passed her Grade 4 ABRSM singing exam with Distinction and also sang the role of Tallulah in her school's production of "Bugsy Malone". She is now working towards a Music Theatre exam.

Jennifer Kaye Harvey

Jennifer has been studying with Anthea for 4 and a half years. In that time she has successfully reached Grade 5 Theory level, Grade 3 ABRSM singing and Grade 6 in the LCM Music Theatre exams. She is currently working towards her Grade 8 exam.

Philippa Leadbetter / Breeze Lyons

Philippa and Breeze come together for their singing lessons and they both passed their Grade 1 Singing this summer with a Merit.

Helen Parkin

Helen regularly sings with a local choir and she passed her Grade 5 Singing with Distinction. She will be taking her Grade 6 this winter.

Holly Paton

Holly started lessons with Anthea in May 2007 and recently passed her Grade 3 ABRSM Singing exam.

Holly Phillips

"I've only been going to Anthea for singing lessons for 3 months but absolutely loving it. I've wanted to do singing lessons for a very long time and was very happy when we found Anthea. Me and my friend Francesca planned on doing them together ever since we decided to start up. I think I've made progress and I'm very happy as it is what I want to do for my future career."

Sally Smith

" I have been involved with music from an early age playing both piano and oboe.  I didn't discover singing until I had had my second child.  A friend took me to see an amateur production of My Fair Lady and then encouraged me to join the group. That was eight years ago and I haven't looked back since! After having a 15 year break from music I realised how much I had missed it.  I decided to have lessons to improve my technique and build my confidence and since doing so have had fabulous fun! Having experienced the thrill of being on stage I have taken several principal roles and I am currently rehearsing for the part of Anna Glawari from the Merry Widow."

Zowie Sweetland

Zowie started lessons with Anthea in January 2009 and sings with CAMUS, a local musical theatre society.

Aileen Thomson

Aileen has been having singing lessons since the age of 7 and since then has constantly shocked both her neighbours and parents by singing very loudy out of her bedroom window. Aileen is currently in her second year reading music at St Peter's College, Oxford, where she is also a choral scholar. This year, she made her opera début playing Donna Elvira in a production of Don Giovanni. As a soloist, she also took part in performances of Haydn's Creation, Handel's Messiah and Mozart's Requiem. Next year, she has been asked to play First Lady in Die Zauberflote and Despina in Cosi fan Tutte. Aileen's main other passion is rugby, and she plays for both her College and the University team as a second row.

Philippa Twinn

Philippa has been studying with Anthea for a short time now and is currently working towards her Grade 3 Singing exam.

Lori Weber

Lori is studying with Anthea to develop an ever-changing voice to sing more opera and other challenging repertoire. Over the last few months, Lori successfully passed both her Associated Board and LCM performance diplomas.