Presenting Anna Winton Mills
- 17 July - 24 July 2027
Song Circle
This course will cover basic singing technique, aimed at complete beginners who have only ever sung in the shower, and at those who have sung in choirs but who have never actually been ‘taught’ to sing. More experienced singers are also welcome to work on existing technique and to explore a relaxed and encouraging approach to performance. It will be ideal for singers wanting to increase their confidence and to improve their tone, intonation and breath control. The week will be for women’s voices only.
“I use a variety of music ranging from folk songs and rounds to choral classics and well known popular songs so there’s a little something for everyone. We will sing in parts but no one will ever be left exposed and progress will be at a pace to suit the group as a whole. There may be opportunities for solo singing for those who would like that challenge but this is absolutely not obligatory!
“I have never met anyone who can’t be taught to sing – it may take a little while to overcome the belief that we can’t and to sidestep the fear, but I promise I can help.
“The week will finish with a short concert of pieces we have learnt together but performing is not compulsory. The aim of this workshop is to inspire a real love of singing and all it has to offer. If that includes performing that’s wonderful but if you prefer to listen, that’s also fine.”
You can hear a range of pieces that you may find yourself singing with Anna here.
Anna’s typical day at the mill
A typical session is 10 minutes or so on warm-up exercises and exploring your range, then a look at two songs repeating parts as necessary. (Most of Anna’s singers don’t read music so repetition is vital. Music reading is helpful but by no means expected.) Then two more songs and a run through of all that has been covered in the session.
“I teach groups in a very relaxed and informal way, always seated in a circle rather than rows. This enables me to interact with everyone and to keep an eye on the shy singers who might otherwise hide in the back row. I have an early music voice so very little vibrato which makes it much easier for novice singers to copy and mimic and I demonstrate a great deal. I’m lucky enough to have a very wide range so l’m able to sing all soprano and alto parts and I lead from the keyboard. Repetition and patience are the key elements. I build confidence by introducing part singing through rounds and then progress into 2 and 3 parts when the group is ready. You can’t sing well if you’re tense so lots of laughter along the way is my preferred method!”
“I cover singing technique as and when it arises with issues in the music we’re learning or in response to queries from the singers. I will also add in the basics of the Alexander Technique and an introduction to improvisation through singing.”
A morning workshop will typically last two hours and will be followed by a similar length of workshop after lunch.
The photos here show singing in a church, but the choral practice is non-denominational – the choice of location is to do with the excellent acoustics found in most church settings!
More about Anna
Anna is a multi-instrumentalist and singer with more than 40 years’ experience in performing and teaching. After completing a music degree and a flute diploma, she turned her attention to singing, studying with Cathy Cass and Diana Moore. Anna has sung with many choirs, most notably Cambridge Chorale and Seraphim, a seven-voice female ensemble, as both a choir member and a soloist. She specialises in unaccompanied folk songs and spirituals and has performed these in many cathedrals and churches in the UK and Europe.
Anna was the Director of Music in two preparatory schools in Suffolk for 20 years and in that time had success with more than 30 children gaining places in the National Children’s Choir and The National Youth Choir of Great Britain, alongside choristerships at King’s College, Cambridge and many other cathedrals.
In 2020, Anna founded Song Circle, a choir for women of all ages and levels of experience to come together in friendship and song. The choir now has 130 singers, rehearsing in six different groups during the week and enjoying concerts and social events throughout the year. All women are welcome whatever their level of experience as Anna believes everyone can be taught to sing.
Anna is a qualified teacher of the Alexander Technique and builds this into her teaching of singing. Her principal aim is to inspire a love of music, and singing in particular, helping each individual to reach their potential through a mixture of patient encouragement, attention to detail, and the desire to not take ourselves too seriously as we explore what our voices can do.
