What sets a technically strong performer apart from a truly unforgettable one? In this episode, Molly Marie Walsh — performer, educator, and MT history advocate — unpacks how a deep understanding of musical theatre’s roots enriches performance, informs vocal style, and builds lasting careers. From the social commentary of Hadestown to the escapism of 1930s musicals, Molly and Alexa explore how history shapes artistry, interpretation, and authenticity on stage. A must-listen for performers, teachers, and anyone passionate about meaningful storytelling through song and stage. 

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  

3:10 What’s Molly’s favourite era of Musical Theatre history?  

8:05 Case study  

12:20 Is historical and contextual understanding always necessary?  

17:45 Context & vocal targets  

24:38 Context & aesthetic design  

26:38 Context and the creative’s career   

29:02 How can contextual understanding help in an audition?  

33:46 How historical understanding upholds the craft of Musical Theatre  

43:27 What about the ensemble?  

47:20 Different resources  

About the presenter, click HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Urdang 

Broadway Musicals Show By Show by Stanley Green 

Graham Norton interview 

Fifty Key Stage Musicals by Robert W. Schneider and Shannon Agnew 

Fifty Key Stage Musicals: The Podcast  

Artists mentioned: Jesse Mueller; Sierra Boggess; Marisha Wallace; Billy Porter 

Agnes de Mille 

Jeanine Tesori 

Shaina Taub 

Jamie Lloyd 

Our Musicals, Ourselves by John Bush Jones 

The Cambridge Companion to the Musical by William A Everett & Paul Laird 

150 Years of Popular Musical Theatre by Andrew Lamb 

A Critical Companion to The American Stage Musical by Elizabeth L. Wollman 

Strike Up the Band by Scott Miller  

Horrible Histories  

Singing Teachers Talk Podcast Ep.10 Songs for Male Contemporary Musical Theatre Singers 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Molly Marie Walsh, originally from California, is a seasoned Musical Theatre performer with credits in the US and UK, including Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Into the Woods, and A Christmas Carol. Now based in the UK, Molly teaches voice, drama, and musical theatre across Buckinghamshire and at London’s Urdang Academy. Molly has worked with musical theatre writers Kansley & Lidert, and she has recently completed the BAST Level 5 Extended Diploma in Singing Teaching Skills.  

SEE FULL BIO HERE

Instagram: @singhappywithmolly 

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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Feeling like there’s never enough time? You’re not alone. In this episode, Alexa and Line tackle one of the biggest challenges for singing teachers (and humans): time management. With humour and practical wisdom, they share simple, effective strategies, from time-blocking and micro-goals to prioritisation hacks and the Pomodoro technique. Whether you’re juggling students, study, or life in general, this episode will help you reclaim your time and reduce overwhelm. Bonus: details on BAST’s new co-working hubs for added support and accountability. 

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST? 

2:33 How much time do I need for the BAST Level 5 qualification?  

4:59 What is the BAST Level 5 qualification, again?  

9:04 Time blocking 

17:58 Mega vs Micro goals 

19:08 Reverse engineering  

21:27 Buffer time  

23:49 Priorities   

31:13 Task batching   

33:43 Time tracking  

34:50 ‘Tomato’ technique  

38:17 Co-working (and the BAST co-working hubs!)   

About the presenter, click HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS   

Kimberley George 

RSL Awards  

Canva 

iCal/Google Calendar 

Chronotype Quiz 

Trello 

monday.com 

Scrum 

Kanban 

Waterfall Project Management  

Asana 

Agile Project Management  

Eisenhower Matrix 

Atomic Habits by James Clear 

Indistractable by Nir Eyal  

Rachael Drury 

Good Habits, Bad Habits by Wendy Wood 

Discord 

Aime McNee

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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This week, Alexa is joined by performer and vocal coach Conor O’Hara (fresh from the UK tour of Wicked) to explore 10 standout songs for male singers in the contemporary musical theatre space. From smart audition choices to vocal technique tips, Conor offers practical, performer-led insight that both singers and teachers will find invaluable. Whether you're building your rep book or guiding a student through their next audition, this episode is packed with gold. 

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?  

1:04 What is Conor’s dream Musical Theatre role?  

2:37 What was Conor’s journey into Musical theatre?  

5:44  What is a Musical Theatre audition like?  

12:25  What’s Conor’s ‘go-to’ song? 

13:20 What song should you really take to an audition?  

20:35 Conor’s 10 song list  

About the presenter, click HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Emily Kristen Morris 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.200 The Secret to Powerful Belting and Seamless Mixing 

The Hangar Theatre Company 

GSA 

Mountview  

RSC 

Debbie O’Brien  

Artists mentioned: Jamie Muscato; Jeremy Jordon; Ben Platt; Aaron Tveit; Jack Wolfe; Brian Darcy James; Ben Joyce; Gavin Creel 

Danielle Tarento  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.212 10 Songs to Find Your Pop Style 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.205 10 Songs to Inspire Your Singing Lessons 

Royal Scotland Conservatoire  

Spotify Radio 

Jeanine Tesori  

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Conor trained at Mountview Dramatic Training, gaining a BA (Hons) in Performance (Musical Theatre). He led the UK premier tour of 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks' as Charlie Rawlins, was a swing in the Royal Shakespeare Company's 'A Christmas Carol' and has recently finished touring around the UK with the Musical 'Wicked'. 

Alongside a career as a performer, he is currently a singing teacher at Italia Conti. Based in North London, he offers private tuition in person and online for professionals looking to book their next job, students in or out of work aiming to better their technique, drama school auditionees, non-professionals and more. 

Conor believes strongly in finding the right repertoire to suit the goals of the performer, whether that's to forward

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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From cruise ship stages to kitchen-table career pivots, Alexa Terry reflects on eight transformative lessons learned over eight years as a singing teacher in this honest, funny, and heartfelt episode of the Singing Teachers Talk podcast. Whether you’re just starting out or deep into your teaching journey, this is the perfect mix of personal storytelling, practical insights, and the occasional existential wobble we all pretend not to have. 

Come for the laughs, stay for the reassurance — and leave with a little more clarity, confidence, and comfort in your own path. 

About the presenter, click HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Singing Teachers Talk Podcast - Ep.213 Medicine to Music: A Journey Back to a Creative Calling 

Aime McNee 

We Need Your Art by Aime McNee 

Substack 

Aime’s Substack: I Didn’t Want a Job  

Nathan Lubbock Smith 

Aida Cruises 

BritishTheatre.com  

New York Vocal Coaching 

John Henny  

The Naked Vocalist  

 Training Contemporary Commercial Singers by Elizabeth Ann Benson 

Singing Teachers Talk Podcast - Ep.215 10 Invaluable Resources for Singing Teachers  

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Alexa runs a singing tuition practice in the South of England, and is a singing tutor at one of the UK’s leading performing arts schools – Italia Conti, where she also regularly panels entry auditions and assessments. Alexa is the host of the BAST Training Singing Teachers Talk podcast, mentors for the BAST Training Level 5 qualification, and has presented on topics of Musical Theatre repertoire, authentic Musical Theatre performance, and imposter syndrome for The Sing Space and Vocology in Practice. 

SEE FULL BIO HERE

Website 

Instagram: @AlexaTerryVocalCoaching 

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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Ever wondered what makes a great singing studio setup? In this solo episode, Alexa Terry explores the key elements of a well-equipped singing studio, offering practical insights for teachers working in both private and institutional settings. From essential tools to thoughtful touches that support vocal, emotional, and educational needs, this episode is packed with practical tips for building a space that enhances learning, creativity, and professionalism. 

About the presenter click HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Sarah Joyce 

Cat Ogden 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.69 Understanding Pregnancy for the Singer and the Self-Employed  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.155 & 156 Building Neurodiversity-Inclusive Voice Studios 

Yamaha Clavinova  

Bose Soundlink Max 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.174 Demystifying Tax for the Self-Employed Singing Teacher 

Zoom 

MyMusicStaff 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.93 How to Organise Your Singing Studio Business with MyMusicStaff 

Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

Olly Christopher

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.186 How to Balance a Teaching and Performance Career  

The Pianist of Willesden Lane

Walt Fritz

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.193 How to Master Tongue Tension for Better Singing  

Kaya Herstad Carney

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.159 How Toys and Props Can Create Dynamic Singing Lessons 

Line Hilton

Feldenkrais

Becca Luter

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.204 Mastering Self Tapes for Auditions with Becca Luter 

Jessica Friend 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Alexa runs a singing tuition practice in the South of England, and is a singing tutor at one of the UK’s leading performing arts schools – Italia Conti, where she also regularly panels entry auditions and assessments. Alexa is the host of the BAST Training Singing Teachers Talk podcast, mentors for the BAST Training Level 5 qualification, and has presented on topics of Musical Theatre repertoire, authentic Musical Theatre performance, and imposter syndrome for The Sing Space and Vocology in Practice. 

SEE FULL BIO HERE: https://www.basttraining.com/blog/ep-217-setting-up-for-success-singing-teachers-studio-essentials-with-alexa-terry/

Website

Instagram: @AlexaTerryVocalCoaching  

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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How do actors convincingly switch accents, and what happens when singing enters the mix? Voice teacher, researcher and spoken voice expert Louisa Morgan returns to explore the rich world of accents and dialects—from phonetics and oral posture to emotional authenticity and ethical considerations. Louisa dives into the challenges singers face when shifting from speech to song in character, how to manage biases, and why understanding your own “home” sounds is key.

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST 

2:35 What actually are accents and dialects?

7:37 What makes an accent easier vs difficult to learn?

15:05 How can we understand accent mapping?

22:51 Speaking Vs Singing in an accent

30:58 What are the challenges of teaching a singer who has a different accent to you?

36:09 What ethical considerations are required?

41:16 Getting to grips with IPA

46:32 Louisa’s favourite resources

48:29 Live accent and dialect coaching

About the presenter click HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Singing Teachers Talk Podcast Ep.109 Mastering ‘Acting Through Song’ Techniques to Elevate Musical Theatre Performance

Voice Study Centre

Guildford School of Acting

IPA

Singing Teachers Talk Ep.151 How to Sing with Twang

Singing Teachers Talk Ep.194 From Jersey to Bali: Relocating a Singing Teaching Business

How to Do Accents by Edda Sharpe and Jan Hayden Rowles

Knight Thompson

Phonetics by J D O’Connor

The Experiencing Accents Book Knight Thompson

Phonetics by Peter Roach

Accents and Dialects for Stage and Screen by Paul Meier

International Dialects of English Archive

Killing Eve

Estill

VASTA Conference

ABOUT THE GUEST

Louisa Morgan is a lecturer, voice teacher, and researcher specialising in spoken and sung emotion. She teaches with the Voice Study Centre (as Spoken Voice Lead) and she is also completing a PhD in emotion in Acting Through Song with Guildford School of Acting. Louisa has taught at institutions including Italia Conti and the Cygnet Training Theatre, alongside 15 years of private coaching. She holds an MA in Vocal Pedagogy, a diploma in Acting with Directing, and a BA in English and Literary Studies. Louisa is a Vocal Process accredited teacher and former editor of AOTOS. She has presented at PEVoC and will speak at the 2025 VASTA conference.

SEE FULL BIO HERE

Website

Instagram:

Contact Louisa Directly

Book a place on one of Louisa’s courses

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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In this episode, Alexa shares 10 game-changing resources that have transformed her own practice as a singing teacher. From essential books and pitch apps to surprising finds, this episode is packed with fresh inspiration for teachers at every stage of their journey.Which resource could become your new secret weapon? Tune in to find out. 

About the presenter click HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Anatomy of Voice by Blandine Calais-Germain & Francois Germain  

Training Contemporary Commercial Singers by Elizabeth Ann Benson  

 The Voice Teacher's Cookbook, Creative Recipes for Teachers of Singing by Brian Winnie 

SpeechPlusLanguage 

Etsy  

Canva 

Ultimate Guitar 

musicaltheatreresources.com 

Stage Door Unlocked  

Dr Dan’s Voice Essentials  

Vocal Pitch Monitor  

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Alexa runs a singing tuition practice in the South of England, and is a singing tutor at one of the UK’s leading performing arts schools – Italia Conti, where she also regularly panels entry auditions and assessments. Alexa is the host of the BAST Training Singing Teachers Talk podcast, mentors for the BAST Training Level 5 qualification, and has presented on topics of Musical Theatre repertoire, authentic Musical Theatre performance, and imposter syndrome for Vocology in Practise and The Sing Space.  

SEE FULL BIO HERE

Website 

Instagram: @AlexaTerryVocalCoaching

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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What happens when you mix Julie Andrews, musical theatre, and a dash of cheeky cabaret? This week, Alexa chats to performer and singing teacher Rosie Williamson about her show What Would Julie Do?—a musical comedy cabaret. Rosie shares how she built a heartwarming, hilarious, harmony-filled show that uplifts audiences and champions mental health causes. Plus: perfectionism, parody law, and why your passion project might just be your best work yet.

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST

4:16 What are the first steps to devising your own show? 

10:54 How audiences describe ‘What Would Julie Do?’

12:58 Performing as a singing teacher

18:23 What’s it like working with a friend?

20:46 Rights and approvals

23:16 How to hire singers

26:06 Balancing performing and teaching

29:11 Getting the project off the ground

33:29 Funding

43:42 Should devising be a standard part of theatre training curriculums?

About the presenter click HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS

Sarah Louise Young

Yvonne Kenny

Leontine Hass

Matt Samer

Mind

Carers UK

Dan Turek

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.154 Managing Imposter Syndrome, Low Confidence and Overwhelm as Singing Teachers

Mandy UK

Spotlight

The Pheasantry

Arts Council

Develop Your Creative Practice (DYCP)

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.213 Medicine to Music. A Journey Back to A Creative Calling

Crazy Coqs

ABOUT THE GUEST

Rosie Williamson is a London-based singing teacher, performer, and writer with a background in classical voice and musical theatre. Inspired by frequent comparisons to Julie Andrews—her school tutor once described her as “just like Mary Poppins”—Rosie created What Would Julie Do?, musical comedy cabaret blending self-help themes with show tunes and parody. Her work has been performed at leading London cabaret venues, Brighton Fringe, and Mountview’s Catalyst Festival. Rosie trained at the University of Sheffield, University of York, and Associated Studios, and now teaches at institutions including ArtsEd and LAMDA. 

FULL BIO HERE

Teaching | What Would Julie Do | Show Tickets HERE

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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In this episode of Singing Teachers Talk, Estelle Idoko shares her journey from medical school to music school. We explore how she helps others reconnect with their creativity, and what holds so many back from living artistically. Whether you're a singer, teacher, or someone wondering: “Is it too late to live creatively?”, this conversation will leave you feeling seen, stirred, and ready to explore your own creative path. 

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST? 

1:00 Medical school vs music school 

7:08 The perception of artistic occupations  

17:56 Should my creativity be a hobby or a career?  

19:30 Women and singing  

24:20 Men and singing  

27:31 What is Estelle’s coaching framework?  

34:06 Leading a creative life  

39:44 The ‘Sing Confidently, live Creatively’ podcast 

About the presenter click HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

The Elements by Tom Lehrer 

Sing Confidently, Live Creatively Ep.208 Start Singing Today Because We Need Your Art with Amie McNee  

Aimee McNee 

We Need Your Art by Aimee McNee  

Teaching Singing to Children and Young Adults by Jenevora Williams  

Singing Teachers Talk Podcast Ep.179 From 1 to 40 Choirs and Touring with Gareth Malone - a Chat with Rachel Lynes  

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Estelle Idoko is a Singer, Actor, and Voice Teacher based in Durham, North Carolina, currently completing her Master’s in Music and Music Education at Columbia University. She is the founder of Creatively Performing Arts, offering online voice lessons and resources for adult beginners. Estelle hosts the globally ranked podcast Sing Confidently, Live Creatively and performs regularly in cabarets, open mics, worship teams, and theatre. Her acting credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Comedy of Errors, and the upcoming Sound of Music. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from VCU and a professional voice certificate from Berklee. Estelle is passionate about helping artists reconnect with their creativity and build lasting vocal confidence. 

SEE FULL BIO HERE

Website 

Instagram: @creativelybyestelle  

Facebook: Singing Tips and Technique for Women. 

Listen to Estelle’s podcast ‘Sing Confidently, Live Creatively’ here  

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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Want to help your singers master pop stylings like belt, riffing, breathy tone, and yodel flips? Alexa has invited singing coach Hannah Smikle back to the podcast for this practical episode, to share 10 killer pop songs that unlock vocal agility, texture, and expressive flair. What vocal tools can help singers to progress into certain melodies, and how do you apply pop texture in a piano-only space? A must-listen for singing teachers looking to spark creativity in the studio! 

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST? 

1:56 Should singing teachers pick the songs?  

3:15 How to collate a repertoire list  

4:15 What is ‘popular’ in pop? 

6:13 What must a singer keep in mind? 

9:42 Hannah’s 10 song choices  

About the presenter click HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.205 10 Songs to Inspire Your Singing Lessons 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.210 10 Songs to Celebrate Pride in Your Studio 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.51 How to Boost a Singer’s Confidence  

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.112 Helping Musical Theatre Singers Build a Reliable Pop Toolbox 

Spotify Radio 

Singing Teachers Talk - Ep.112 Helping Musical Theatre Singers Build a Reliable Pop Toolbox 

Microphone SM58 

Chris Johnson Teach Voice 

Arthur Lessac 

ABOUT THE GUEST 

Hannah Smikle is a professional voice coach and vocalist with over 15 years’ experience in the music industry. She has worked extensively as a live performer, backing vocalist, session singer, and recording artist. Known for her holistic, multi-disciplinary approach, Hannah combines technical expertise with industry insight to support singers both on stage and in the studio. She regularly engineers and coaches recording sessions, helping artists deliver authentic, high-quality vocals. Passionate about whole-person wellbeing, she integrates vocal health and counselling skills into her coaching. Hannah is a Vocal Habilitation Professional, Vocal Health First Aider, and committed to ongoing professional development. 

SEE FULL BIO HERE

Website 

Instagram: @vocalperformancecoaching  

BAST Training helps singers gain the confidence, knowledge, skills & understanding required to be a successful singing teacher.

"The course was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's an investment with so much return. I would recommend this course to any teacher wanting to up-skill, refresh or start up." Kelly Taylor, NZ ...more

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