Today I am talking to Alexander Simpson and Helen Daniels who are both classical singers and presenters on the podcast “Where’s My Freaking Dressing Room?!” In our chat we talk about a variety of topics regarding the impact that the pandemic has had on young singers and how a shift in time management has revolutionised the way in which Alexander and Helen approach their work.
British countertenor Alexander Simpson is a versatile young singer who enjoys performing a wide range of repertoire and styles.
Recent operatic roles include Nireno Giulio Cesare (English Touring Opera), Cowslip Fairy Queen (Waterperry Opera Festival), Athamas Semele (Royal Academy of Music), Arsace Partenope (Iford Arts Festival), Arcane Teseo (London Handel Festival) and Refugee Flight (Royal Academy Opera).
Alexander studied at the Royal Academy of Music where he was awarded a full scholarship and graduated with a DipRAM for an outstanding final recital. He later graduated from Royal Academy Opera where he studied with Michael Chance, Caitlin Hulcup and Anna Tilbrook.
In addition to his singing commitments, Alexander has trained to become a Life Coach. He firmly believes that the industry should be made more accessible for all musicians and has set up a new ‘holistic approach’ towards singing as a career. His aim is to encourage singers to understand themselves properly as individuals and then apply these discoveries to their career so that they are able to navigate a career that is successful and fulfilling rather than being tossed randomly from one job to another.
Together with his friend and colleague Helen Daniels, Alexander has co-created a podcast entitled ‘Where’s My Freaking Dressing Room?!’ which encourages classical musicians to chat honestly about previous experiences in order to create a community which is more supportive and connected.
Helen Daniels is a mezzo-soprano from Coventry, currently studying at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance with Sarah Pring where she is an Eva Malpass scholar. Under Trinity Laban’s tuition she has performed in the nationally renowned Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival and taken part in online masterclasses with Barbara Hannigan, Gidon Saks, Christopher Underwood and Robert Alderson. She is looking forward to playing Rosina, Il barbiere di Siviglia; Nancy, Albert Herring and Ursule, Béatrice et Bénédict in the college’s opera scenes showcase later this year.
Alongside her studies Helen is a professional ensemble singer and has performed with many celebrated groups including Classical Opera, Philharmonia Voices, The Hanover Band, City Bach Collective and Sansara. In January 2020 Helen founded a chamber female vocal ensemble with harp, Levedy, who won the inaugural Trinity Laban Carne Trust Chamber Music Competition in October 2020.
Helen read academic music at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, where she sang with Trinity College Choir under the direction of Stephen Layton. Solo performances include Haydn’s Nelson Mass, Bach’s St John Passion, Handel’s Messiah and Vivaldi's Gloria.
In summer 2020 Helen partnered with a close friend and colleague, Alexander Simpson, to record and produce a classical music podcast entitled ‘Where’s My Freaking Dressing Room?!’ The podcast encourages classical musicians to talk openly about their experiences of the industry in order to create a more supportive and interconnected musical community.
Instagram: @helendanielsmezzo