Our sessions had a considerable impact on my working year - thank you for giving me the confidence to say yes to an acting job with a demanding singing element.
Jeremy Todd
Actor
James is not only a fantastic musician and musical director but he is a supportive patient and forensic teacher: Guiding people to new strengths and qualities in their voices, performance and confidence!
George Barnden
Singing Student
James helped me improve clear tone, range, volume, stability and learn techniques to handle songs of different genres. James is a very engaging teacher and clearly loves what he does. He breaks things down into simple steps and explains what he wants you to do and why. He also is very patient and encouraging and makes the lessons fun.
Stephanie Nisbet
Singing Student
Having trained part-time at Italia Conti Arts Centre, Guildford for at least 5 years now, James has only just recently started teaching us singing, and I now wish he was there right from the start of my time there! He has not only brought a positive and energetic vibe to our lessons, but his teaching skills in technique and performance are exceptional! I have only known James for a few months now, but in those few months I have learn't so many things that a singer needs to have in the industry- such as having great stage presence, believing in your character, and applying technique to the songs you sing in order to give a fantastic performance to your audience. James has managed to help me in all these areas with my singing! In addition to this, I am not a very confident singer, being criticised a lot in the past, and James has really helped me to overcome this fear of mine and has really pushed and improved me! I would highly recommend.
Liam Buckland
Musical Theatre Performer
Online Scheduler for Private Sessions
James Hall
Singing & Theatre Arts Teacher, Musical Director, Piano Accompanist, Composer
MA, PGCE, BA (Hons),
ATCL (Musical Theatre)
Services
Teaching singing is a huge passion of mine as working with every voice is different. I teach a huge range of pupils of different ages and varying abilities but with different interests. This can be recapping and improving basic technique, working towards exams, a single concert or an audition for a drama school. I use the Estill model in my teaching and specialise in musical theatre but I do teach and work with people performing many different styles. A basic and fundamental understanding of how the voice works supports all styles of singing.
I have been working as a singing teacher since 2012 determined to provide young people and musical theatre performers with an excellent education in how their voices work and how to use them efficiently. Musical theatre and other contemporary vocal styles often receive concerns from performers and teachers about the damage it causes to voices and the longevity of a career. This is very rarely the case and there are many musical theatre, pop and rock vocalists who have been singing and performing all their lives with excellent technique, keeping their voices healthy. Also, the research is continuing to grow to help us understand more clearly; how our voices work and how to use them efficiently.
I am a supporter of the Estill model and attend regular courses led by Anne Marie Speed to use in my teaching but I also call upon other techniques I’ve learnt from other teachers and researchers. As well as Anne Marie Speed I follow advice from Ross Campbell, Mary Hammond and Mary King who teach on the musical theatre course at the Royal Academy of Music.
My experience involves working with children privately and in group lessons focusing on musical awareness and developing their sense of pitch and singing as an ensemble (if in a group). I’ve led children’s choirs and do a lot of work for youth theatre groups providing support for when boys and girls start to go through their voice change. I do a lot of work especially with young boy’s voices; supporting them through the change and helping them find their “new” voice.
Other experience includes working with musical theatre and acting students with developing technique and interpreting material. I offer support working towards auditions for drama schools and other vocational courses and assisting professional performers prepare new material for their auditions. Past pupils have gone on to study at Arts Ed, Mountview, GSA, London Studio Centre, ALRA, Chichester University, Italia Conti, The Brit School and the Urdang Academy. Others have appeared in West End shows such as The Lion King, Matilda, Mary Poppins and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
For pupils wanting to take exams in singing and musical theatre I do that too. Most of my pupils take Trinity College exams as their syllabus and exam experience in my opinion is excellent. The singing exams are flexible to suit any pupil and the range of repertoire to perform is huge. Previous pupils have also taken London College of Music exams in Music Theatre and Rockschool vocal exams with a 100% pass rate across all three boards.
Normally lessons are an 55 minutes long but for younger children I tend to offer 40 minute lessons. I am flexible regards timings; some pupils have an hour and a half or two hours depending on their requirements and preference. If you have a piano at home or there is space for me to bring a digital piano I can travel to you for a small extra fee or you can come to my studio in Kingston upon Thames.
Please read my testimonials to see what previous students and parents say about me as I aim to make lessons fun and engaging whilst striving for improvement in every lesson. I aim to provide all my students with the tools to enable them to understand their voices and how to get the best out of them; including how to recognise vocal problems. All my lessons are tailored to the student and their needs or requirements.
Previously I’ve worked for Mountview, Laine Theatre Arts, Italia Conti Arts Centre, Academy of Performance Training, The Ultimate Voice, Ewell Castle School, Stagecoach Theatre Arts Schools and Richmond Theatre.
Singing Teaching & Coaching
