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MEET THE TEAM
Musical Director
AIDAN SMITH
Aidan has taught singing and music to all levels for 20 years. He specialises in Bel Canto and Classical vocal technique. Many of his students have gone on to successful professional careers in singing in a variety of styles.
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After training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Royal Academy of Music and the National Opera Studio, Aidan went on to become an Associate Artist of Welsh National Opera. Since then he has enjoyed a very successful operatic career in the UK and internationally.
Aidan has recently performed with the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, English National Opera, Welsh National Opera and Scottish Opera. Internationally he has performed for Bregenz Festspiel, Saltzberg Festival and L’Ambronay Ancient Opera Festival.
Aidan currently teaches privately and is head of singing for London Studio Centre Associates programme. He has performed workshops for English National Opera and given masterclasses as far afield as the UAE.
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Aidan is inspirational, self-motivated and reliable. He is committed to developing musical skills, helping students to become independent and striving musicians.
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Watch a video of Aidan performing Bottoms Dream from A Midsummer's Night Dream here.
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Professional Singer and Teacher
HANNAH DAVEY
Hannah’s classical performances take her across the UK and Europe performing song recitals, oratorio and orchestral concerts at venues including Wigmore Hall, Royal Shakespeare Company, St John’s Smith Square and many of the beautiful concert venues in Gloucestershire. Recordings include Mozart Requiem with Orchestra of St John’s and William Hayes ‘The fall of Jericho’ with the Corelli Ensemble.
Complementing her classical singing, Hannah is the vocalist with the Derek Paravicini Quartet, a vibrant jazz group performing a number of times live on BBC Radio 3. Hannah also guests with small ensembles and pianists at jazz clubs around the UK.
Hannah is passionate about teaching with particular focus on building a healthy vocal technique and encouraging confidence and a joy of singing. She teaches all styles of music from classical to jazz, musical theatre to pop. She is experienced in working towards grade exams or happy to focus on other goals. Hannah currently teaches at Pates Grammar School and privately.
Hannah studied with Christine Cairns at Birmingham Conservatoire where she gained a first class honours degree and won various prizes.
Hannah lives in Cheltenham with her husband and two young children.
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Professional Singer and Teacher
SAM YOUNG
Sam studied at Guildhall School of Music and Drama and previously at Bath Spa University. He has worked for opera companies including Longborough Festival Opera, English National Opera and Glyndebourne.
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He has previously been an Emerging Artist for Glyndebourne, 2024/2025 Young Artist with Opera Prelude and was the recipient of the Young Artist Award in conjunction with the Strand International Song Festival.
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sam has been teaching for several years and currently teaches in Oxford and Cheltenham. He specialises in teaching classical technique and works with his students to build a strong support system in order to sing a variety of genres ranging from opera and classical to musical theatre and contemporary music. Sam works to the specification of his students and is passionate about bringing out the best in them.
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Sam currently lives in Wiltshire with his wife and son.
Administrator
LESLEY BAYSTON
Lesley spent all her working career in the financial services industry running large IT projects until she retired in 2017. Lesley joined the team in January 2020 and is reponsible for looking after the diary for the teaching staff, general administration and managing the business accounts.
Lesley has a degree in Economics from Manchester University. She is currently learning the piano and has achieved her ABRSM Grade 3 so far and she also has a distinction in ABRSM Grade 5 Music Theory.
Principal Teacher
GUY BEYNON
Guy is a first-class graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music and completed his Master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music, where he studied under Adrian Thompson and Anna Tillbrook.
Most recently, Guy has appeared with Longborough Opera Festival, Bampton Classical Opera and Hampstead Garden Opera as part of Purcell’s The Fairy Queen, a performance that earned him a nomination for an Off West End (‘Offie’) Award for Best Opera Performance.
Beyond opera, Guy is a passionate interpreter of song. He has enjoyed success in several competitions, winning the Marjorie Thomas Art of Song Prize for Best Overall Recital and the Flora Nielsen French Song Prize, and was awarded second place in the prestigious Joan Chissell / Rex Stephens Schumann Lieder Prize.
Alongside his performing career, Guy is an experienced and committed singing teacher. Alongside CVA, he also teaches at Cheltenham Ladies’ College. He supports students in developing healthy vocal technique, musical literacy, and confident performance, while tailoring his approach to individual learning needs.
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