THREE European opera stars paid the region's secondary schools a virtual visit in partnership with a Hexham-based arts charity.

Samling Institute for Young Artists - working alongside three Music Education Hubs in the region - introduced the world-renowned trio of Louise Alder, Milan Siljano and Nicky Spence to eight students in the area to provide masterclasses in classical singing and opera.

Louise, who currently appears in the Vienna State Opera and has previously won the BBC Cardiff Singer of the Year in 2017, worked with Hexham teenager Martha Cook on a Mozart aria to help her improve her skills as well as giving advice to several students during a chat.

Martha has worked with the academy for the last four years and also has previously attended masterclasses with a range of famous stars including both Anna Stéphany and Joan Rodgers CBE.

"Being part of Samling Academy gives me amazing opportunities, one being my involvement in this event," said Martha.

"It was a privilege to sing with Louise Alder, her input and advice was helpful and truly inspiring.

Another student to benefit from the event was Cordelia Harrison from Haydon Bridge, who worked with Milan Siljanov performing the Canadian folksong ‘She’s like the swallow’ in a session provided by Music Partnership North – Northumberland.

"Although we weren’t able to hold live events, Samling Futures offered us a fantastic opportunity to bring high profile artists from across Europe to share the world of classical singing with young people from Northumberland and North Tyneside and to introduce them to the Samling Academy experience," added Karon Wright, Artist and Executive Director of the Samling Institute.

. Soprano Louise Alder, currently appearing with the Vienna State Opera, bass-baritone Milan Siljanov from the Bavarian State Opera in Munich and London-based tenor Nicky Spence all dialled in to give virtual masterclasses with eight young singers from the North East.

Louise Alder won the Audience Prize at BBC Cardiff Singer of the Year in 2017 and is fast becoming an established star of opera and song. She is in demand in opera houses and concert halls across Europe, but was able to take a break from a busy schedule to share her expertise with an online audience of students from North Tyneside.

Louise worked on a Mozart aria with 17 year-old Martha Cook from Hexham, helping her to find new ways to add colour and expression to her performance. As a member of Samling Academy, an intensive programme of coaching and performance opportunities for young singers who live in North East England, Martha is already used to studying with stars of Louise’s calibre. In her four years with the Academy she has also received masterclasses from international stars including Anna Stéphany, Toby Spence and most recently, Joan Rodgers CBE who joined a digital version of the Academy last October. Martha explained:

‘Being part of Samling Academy gives me amazing opportunities, one being my involvement in this event. It was a privilege to sing with Louise Alder, her input and advice was helpful and truly inspiring. Samling Institute have done an fantastic job at using technology so we can continue to sing and perform together.’

The workshops also offered students from the Music Hubs a chance to try out the Samling Academy experience, including sixth-former Cordelia Harrison from Haydon Bridge, who shared her performance of the Canadian folksong ‘She’s like the swallow’ with Milan Siljanov in a session hosted by Music Partnership North – Northumberland.

Acting and communication skills are very important for singers, so the workshop also included a session from Shakespearean actor James Garnon, who is a regular leader at the Academy. Using the folk song ‘Go way from my window’, James asked the assembled students explore how they could really live in a text by asking them to say the words, with intention, to the windows on their computer screens.