Singing Teachers Talk

How can singing teachers better support neurodivergent singers? In this insightful episode, Alexa is joined by singer, educator and former hospital school deputy head Sarah Marion to explore neurodiversity in singing lessons. From ADHD, autism, Tourette’s and anxiety, to sensory overload, perfectionism and performance overwhelm, Sarah shares practical ways teachers can create safer, more flexible and inclusive learning environments. Discover why structure and preparation matter, how music can support communication and connection, and why focusing on each singer’s individual ‘superpowers’ can transform the way we teach. 
WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  
7:33 What is a hospital school?  
8:02 The role of music in education and neurodiversity  
17:34 Supporting singers with ADHD 
19:26 Supporting singers with autism and Tourrette’s  
22:42 Recognising the signs of overwhelm 
24:00 Preparation, predictability and structuring the singing lesson 
30:27 Supporting neurodivergent singers in rehearsals and auditions 
31:43 Helping neurodivergent singers with organisation  
36:34 The neurodivergent teacher  
38:44 Rethinking professionalism and making adaptations 
 
About the presenter HERE
 
RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 
Alternative Provision Huh - The Importance to the Arts and Wider Opportunities’ by Myatt and John Tomsett 
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.280 What Singing Teachers Need to Understand About Performance Anxiety with Mel Toy 
 
ABOUT THE GUEST 
 
Sarah is a Wirral-based singer and pianist with a lifelong passion for music and performance. In her twenties, based in Manchester she performed extensively with bands, session work and solo gigs, including a stint working abroad. Sarah is a classically trained singer to post graduate level. Following her performing career, Sarah dedicated 30 years to teaching music in Wirral comprehensive schools. During this time, she led numerous school productions and successfully prepared students for GCSE music examinations, inspiring a new generation of musicians. During the last 10 years in education Sarah became a Deputy Headteacher in a hospital school specialising in Trauma Informed Teaching, creating teaching toolkits for reducing anxiety in young people with poor mental health, often comorbid with a diagnosis of neurodiversity. Sarah now combines her time between performing, 1:1 Teaching and has a mentor role with the SSAT. [Schools Students and Teachers Network] 
 
Youtube 
Instagram: @sarah_marrion_sings 
🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE
At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK
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What does it take to be ready to step into multiple roles in the musical theatre industry Today, Alexa is joined by West End performer and vocal coach Corinne Priest to talk about her time in Titanique, where she covered Céline Dion, Rose and Molly Brown alongside her role as a backing vocalist. Corinne shares how she prepared to embody Céline’s unmistakable vocal style, the realities of switching between multiple tracks, and why making a role fit your own voice is so important. They also explore the growing vocal demands of musical theatre, life as a swing, and what it takes to build the versatility and vocal sustainability needed for eight shows a week.  
WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  
1:33 Corrine’s favourite song in a contract so far  
2:18 Corrine’s journey into the Musical Theatre industry 
4:15 Representation: drama school and agencies  
7:45 Titanique  
23:24 Impersonation as a training tool  
24:30 Vocal coaching Vs performing  
26:25 Corrine’s top tip for current musical theatre demands  
29:45 Corrine’s contract wish list  
 
About the presenter HERE
 
RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 
London School of Musical Theatre (LSMT)  
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.221 How Knowing Musical Theatre History Makes You a Better Performer with Molly Marie Walsh 
The Criterion  
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.279 On Vocal Crashes, Career Lessons and Sustainable Singing with Chris Killik 
Mischief Comedy 
 
ABOUT THE GUEST 
 
Corrine is a professional Musical Theatre Performer and Vocal Coach, originally from Somerset. 
 
Training: London School of Musical Theatre 
2025 Vocal Balance Accredited Teacher  
 
Corrine is a guest tutor at Urdang Academy and full time Singing Teacher at Emil Dale Academy, and also teaches private 1:1s. 
 
Credits include: BGV2, cover Celine Dion, Rose and Molly Brown in Titanique the Musical (Criterion Theatre, Lido2Paris), Beauty in Beauty and the Beast (Playhouse Theatre), Swing, cover Sister Mary Robert, cover Sister Mary Patrick in Sister Act (UK Tour), Workshop of Disruption (Park Theatre), Fairy Queen / Resident Director in Claus The Musical (The Lowry), Ensemble in Les Misérables (Sondheim Theatre), Dance Captain in Les Misérables: The Staged Concert (Sondheim Theatre), Elizabeth Benning in Young Frankenstein (English Theatre Frankfurt), Swing, cover Fantine, cover Gavroche, assistant Dance Captain, assistant Children's Director, in Les Misérables (UK & International Tour), Lucy in Can't Stop It (The Other Palace), Lucy in Ushers: The Front of House Musical (Edinburgh Fringe & Arts Theatre), Ghost of Christmas Past in A Christmas Carol (Blackpool Opera House), Soloist in Stephen Sondheim 85th Birthday Gala (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), cast in God: The Stephen Sondheim Parody (London Theatre), Amy Thomas in Girlfriends (Union Theatre), Lead Vocalist onboard Holland America Line, and Viv Nicholson in Spend Spend Spend (Bridewell Theatre).  
 
Corrine won The Stephen Sondheim Student Performer of the Year award and more recently won a What's Onstage Angel award in 2021. Corrine also recorded the critically acclaimed one-woman song-cycle Heart of Winter, available on iTunes and Spotify.  
 
Website 
Instagram: @corrinepriest @coachingwithcorrine 
🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE
At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK
Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW
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What if performance anxiety isn’t just about what happens on stage? In this episode, Alexa is joined by performance rehabilitation coach and PhD researcher Mel Toy to dig beneath the surface of music performance anxiety. They unpack the surprising factors that can shape anxiety, why common advice doesn’t always help, and how singers and teachers can approach performance with more curiosity, compassion and individuality. They also discuss the surprising impact of noise, sleep and everyday life and why anxiety isn’t always easy to spot. A thought-provoking conversation for singing teachers and performers that challenges some common assumptions about anxiety and performance.  
WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  
2:05 ‘Music Performance Anxiety’ as a social anxiety disorder  
8:52 Creating well-being environments for learning 
12:40 A note on cognitive reframing  
24:52 Anxiety contributors  
31:16 Spotting anxiety 
35:05: Stress and progress   
46:30 What about when it’s the teacher who is anxious?  
51:23 Mel’s research 
 
About the presenter HERE
 
RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 
Singer & the Self 
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.271 Singer & the Self: Rethinking Singing Teacher CPD with Becky Gilhespie 
Cat Ogden  
The Singer’s Guide Podcast by Tessa Smith - Trust the Process: Alexa Terry on Unfinished Sounds and Developing Your Voice  
This is your Brain on Food by Dr Uma Naidoo 
Wendy Parr 
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.94 Developing The Singer Into an Artist with Wendy Parr 
Lydia Hart 
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.277 Identity, Self-Worth and Burnout in the Performing Arts with Claire Cannon 
 
ABOUT THE GUEST 
 
Mel Toy is an experienced voice and performance coach, voice massage practitioner, and vocal health specialist dedicated to empowering artists and performers to unlock their creative potential. With a holistic approach that integrates tailored technical exercises, artistic development, and rehabilitative techniques, Mel works to help clients overcome both physiological and psychological challenges, fostering their creative freedom and promoting vocal wellbeing. 
 
In addition to her client-focused work, Mel is a seasoned lecturer in voice and contemporary performance. Since 2018, she has taught at leading institutions, including the British Institute of Modern Music (BIMM Institute London), the Voice Study Centre, and the Eastern Institute of Technology (Hawke's Bay). Through these roles, Mel has guided singers and musicians in developing their vocal technique, performance health, collaborative songwriting, and career strategies. She also supervises undergraduate and Master's theses and serves as a reviewer for the Sages Music and Science Journal. As part of her international teaching experience, Mel has contributed to the European Vocal Camp and joined the team in 2025 for the launch of their Asia-Pacific camp. 
 
Mel is a certified Vocal Coach through the Institute of Vocal Advancement and Modern Vocal Training, as well as a Vocal Health Habilitation Practitioner with Vocal Health Education. She has also delivered masterclasses on Music Performance Anxiety, Performance Psychology, and Vocal Massage to global audiences, helping vocal coaches, singing teachers, and other support practitioners better assist their clients in managing performance-related stress and anxiety. 
 
In addition to her vocal techniques education, Mel is a researcher and academic, holding a BA Hons in Creative Musicianship and an MSc Psychology. She is currently undertaking doctoral research through the Department of Culture, Communication, and Media with University College London’s Institute of Education, investigating the ongoing implications of music performance anxiety on the wellbeing of contemporary singers. 
 
Website 
Social Media: @meltoyvocalcoach 
🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE
At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK
Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW
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What does it really take to build a sustainable career as a performer? In this episode, Alexa is joined by performer and vocal coach Chris Killik for a warm, funny and refreshingly candid conversation about life in the performing arts. From memorable auditions and unexpected career opportunities to versatility, vocal health and the lessons that only come from experience, Chris shares stories from a career spanning musical theatre, Shakespeare, television and stages across Europe. They also explore how our priorities can shift over time, what it means to truly understand your voice, and why sometimes the most important career moments are the ones you never planned for. 
WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  
0:44 What makes a good audition experience?  
1:44 Auditions gone wrong 
5:49 Chris’ journey into performing arts  
9:29 What did higher education not teach you? 
11:45 What does it mean to be versatile?  
16:28 The vocal crash 
26:57 Performing in the UK Vs Europe  
31:16 Setting up The Educated Voice 
35:30 Performing and being a Dad 
38:20 The remainder of 2026 
 
About the presenter HERE
 
RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 
Royal Academy of Music 
Mary Hammond 
Jack Shepherd  
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.112 Helping Musical Theatre Singers Build a Reliable ToolboxPhysio Ed 
Chris Johnson Vocal Coach 
Jeremy Ryan Mossman 
Tom Burke 
Anne Marie Speed 
Maureen Scott  
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.241 Is Your Pelvic Floor Affecting Your Voice? A Deep Dive 
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.263 The Creative Juggler: Singer, Songwriter and Teacher  
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.197 Backing Adele and Beyond: The Art and Craft of Backing Vocals  
Singing Teachers Talk - Ep. Ep.69 Understanding Pregnancy for the Singer and the Self-Employed  
Associated Studios  
 
ABOUT THE GUEST 
 
Theatre credits include:Freddie Mercury inFriday Night Fever!(O2 Arena);Wish You Were Dead(National Tour);How to Build a Better Tulipand Return to the Forbidden Planet(Upstairs at the Gatehouse); Redemption Roomand Iconfidant(Online);Andrew Lloyd Webber Gala(European Tour);Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night's Dreamand Much Ado About Nothing(Park Theatre); The Wind in the Willows(Kew Gardens); Private Lives(Playhouse Theatre, Stockholm); Chicago(City Theatre Stockholm);Jesus Christ Superstar(Turku City Theatre, Finland); The Hired Man(Old Laundry Theatre, Windermere); Love Story(Duchess Theatre); Ash(Arcola Theatre);Sail Away(Lost Musicals, Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadler's Wells); Closer Than Ever(Cheltenham Playhouse); Closer(Helsinki Fringe) and Merrie England(Finborough Theatre). 
Concert credits include:Backing Singer for Elton John's Concert for Diana(Wembley Stadium) and Chess in Concert(Royal Albert Hall). 
Recording credits include:12 Tenors; Love Story(the musical); and his own original music, of which his debut song 'Who Will You Burn For?' reached no. 3 in the iTunes charts. 
Vocal Coaching 
Alongside performing, Christopher is a vocal coach who has studied a wide range of vocal methodologies over the years, weaving together the best of each into a rich, multifaceted approach to teaching singing. He previously founded The Educated Voice, a company that ran five-day intensive courses across Scandinavia, bringing over top West End vocal teachers to deliver cutting-edge training in voice technique to international students. He now runs his own vocal coaching practice from his studio in Walthamstow, London.  
Website 
Instagram: @christopherkillik 
🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE
At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK
Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW
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What’s the story behind one of the best-known vocal products on the market? In this episode, Alexa is joined by Maria and George from Vocalzone to uncover the fascinating history behind the century-old family business, and why its distinctive pastilles have become a backstage staple for performers around the world, including Tom Jones, Katherine Jenkins and Michael Ball.  
They also get into some of the debates that have divided singers and singing teachers over the years- including the ever-contentious question of menthol - tackling myths, misconceptions and strongly held opinions around vocal care. Expect fascinating history, practical insight and plenty of brilliant behind-the-scenes stories along the way. 

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  
1:55 The history of Vocalzone 
5:37 What’s it like working with family?  
7:45 What are the Vocalzone products?  
11:32 Safety checks 
16:54 What do Vocalzone products actually do?  
23:34 The menthol argument 
28:10 The other ingredients: myrrh tincture & peppermint oil 
31:46 How to properly use the Vocalzone pastilles  
38:07 What should singing teachers understand about Vocalzone?  
 
About the presenter HERE
 
RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 
Vocalzone, Saviours or Destroyers?  
Line Hilton  
 
ABOUT THE GUEST 
Vocalzone is a vocal care brand with a history stretching back more than a century. Originally formulated in 1907 by William Lloyd for legendary Italian tenor Enrico Caruso, Vocalzone’s distinctive throat pastilles first went on sale in 1912 and have since become a familiar part of the toolkit for singers and professional voice users around the world. 
Today, Vocalzone produces a range of pastilles, teas and throat spray designed to support hardworking voices, utilised by everyone from singers and actors to broadcasters, teachers and public speakers. With its roots firmly in the performing arts, the brand continues to combine its remarkable heritage with a focus on the needs of modern voice users. 
Website 
Social Media: @vocalzonehq 
🎁 Free Resource: Get your copy of How to Assess the Singer’s Voice with Confidence — a practical guide to help you understand what’s going on in any singer’s voice.  >>> DOWNLOAD HERE
At BAST Training, we help singers turn their experience into a meaningful teaching career. Building the confidence, knowledge, and real-world skills to teach with confidence, clarity, and compassion.
“The BAST Advanced Foundation has given me more than the tools I need to teach — it’s given me confidence, a community, and a future.” Jess McGlinchey, UK
Start with the foundations >>> ENROL NOW
basttraining.com | Stay Updated