RELEASE. REHEARSE. REFINE.

"Forgive me if I don't have the words. Maybe I can sing it and you'll understand."

Ella fitzgerald
About Me:

I have been singing since childhood, with only a brief pause as my voice deepened(!) Since then, I have continued to sing and build a career as a professional singer and actor, performing in the West End and across the UK and Europe.

At the age of 21, I made my professional debut at the internationally renowned Salzburg Music Festival, performing at both the Felsenreitschule and the Grosses Festspielhaus. Since then, I have appeared in a range of celebrated classical musicals, including The Phantom of the Opera (30th Anniversary West End Cast), Barnum, Carousel, and My Fair Lady. I have also toured extensively with The 12 Tenors, performing across Germany and Central Europe.

Alongside my work in musical theatre, I am an experienced cabaret artist. Since its inception in 2017, I have been a regularly featured performer in Sunday Afternoon at the Musicals with Pizza Express Live London, and am proud to be an original cast member of the series.

My musical training is rooted in my early background as a brass musician, playing cornet, trumpet, and tenor horn. I joined my first brass band at the age of 11 and went on to perform with a number of orchestras, concert bands, and internationally recognised championship section brass bands.

I am deeply passionate about music and singing. What other sphere combines art, science and language all under one banner? None that I can think of...

My approach:

In my humble opinion, singing must be fun and completely "unstuffy". Whereas reading and wider research can be understandably pivotal in understanding the voice, in the rehearsal room, a cerebral approach can often be counter-productive. My rehearsal room - or yours, if we work remotely - is a safe space to practice, play and most importantly make mistakes. As Patsy Rodenburg in her book 'The Right To Speak' notes from one contributor "God doesn't mind a bum note!" A singing lesson is just that: a lesson. Time to learn through practice, through trial and error; an approach that works for one student might not work for another. Who cares if you sing a bum note in a lesson? That's the place to do it!

As a singer, your body is your instrument. If I took a sledgehammer to my cornet, I most likely wouldn't be able to play it. So how does life affect you, as your instrument? Have you noticed that when you're relaxed you sing better? My approach is to be patient and kind, but it is also important for you to be patient and kind to/with yourself.

"God doesn't mind a bum note!" 

FROM 'THE RIGHT TO SPEAK' by pATSY RODENBURG

"All singing, no matter the genre, requires a fundamental knowledge and understanding of the breath and support" 

TOM STERLING
The Technical:

Release and BREATHE! So many other issues come about as a lack of breath control and support, such as (but definitely not exclusive to):

  • Tongue root tension
  • Jaw tension
  • Neck tension
  • A locked lower back
  • Locked knees

These will all block the voice, and likely get worse over time, leading to a variety of other issues. It is important to recognise that it doesn't matter if you want to sing pop, opera, jazz, soul, rap, R&B or death metal(!) All singing, no matter the genre, requires a fundamental knowledge and understanding of the breath and support.

So what do I mean by breathe? We all breathe everyday without even thinking about it; 20,000 times a day to be precise. Do you think about it? (Well, you are now!) Breathing in a healthy and supportive manner is what we strive for as singers. In very simple terms, release that tummy (and all that comes with it) when you breathe in and let the air drop in, then support from your pelvic floor and upwards when you breathe out. Easy enough to say isn't it? …There may be a bit more to it than that, but my method can be summarised in three words: RELEASE. REHEARSE. REFINE.

If you want to soar to those top notes, perform multiple shows a week or just sing in the shower. Then it is, for me, of paramount importance to identify those tensions, then we can set about releasing and breathing. We'll also have a laugh, I promise(!)

Lessons & Costs:

Please note that I am based in London, UK.

Remote lessons (conducted via Zoom or similar platform)
Standard fee: £45.00 per hour
Concessions available, please drop me a message.

In-person lessons (additional costs due to room hire):
Standard fee: £55.00*
Concessions available, please drop me a message.
*Depending on notice and venue, prices may fluctuate.

As a working actor and singer there may be periods when I am unavailable for lessons. Notice will always be given in advance.

If you are interested in booking a lesson, or would like to enquire, please drop me a line via the adjacent form. I look forward very much to hearing from you.

Enquire or book a lesson

© Copyright Tom Sterling 2025