Frequently Asked Questions

We work with university groups, school departments, choir leaders, and freelance creative arts practitioners who want to learn more about our Applied Musical Theatre (AMT) approach or specialise in Singing for Health.

Our training is led by Starling Arts’ founders, Anna Shields and Emily Garsin. Both hold First-Class degrees, Master’s degrees, and clinical certifications in applied theatre, music, and singing for health. We bring over 15 years of on-the-ground experience to every session, having regularly taught as visiting lecturers at world-renowned institutions like The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and the Guildford School of Acting (GSA).

Yes. We deliver interactive training both in-person and digitally, so facilitators can join us from wherever they are.

Yes, absolutely. We regularly collaborate with university lecturers and course leaders to ensure our sessions align perfectly with your existing curriculum. Whether you want us to focus heavily on the practicalities of leading group singing, the ethics of community engagement, or the business models of creative social enterprises, we map our sessions to your specific academic goals.

Alongside the practical, hands-on experience during the our CPD sessions, participants receive a digital toolkit of resources. This includes sample vocal warm-ups, structured session plans, guides on building safety in a room, and evidence-based frameworks for adapting material to diverse community or healthcare needs.

We host formal placements in partnership with selected UK universities and drama schools, typically as part of Applied Theatre programmes. If you are an independent student or freelancer looking for mentorship outside of an institution, please reach out to us at info@starlingarts.com to discuss our current availability for bespoke mentoring.

For hands-on masterclasses and CPD days where participants are actively practicing facilitation techniques, we recommend a maximum of 25–30 participants to ensure everyone gets personal feedback. However, for industry talks, panel discussions, and keynote addresses, we can accommodate large lecture halls or conference-scale audiences.

We offer flexible formats ranging from 60 to 90-minute keynote talks and introductory masterclasses, to half-day intensive workshops, full-day practical CPD sessions, or multi-session module residencies. These offering are bespoke and designed with you and your goals in mind.

We recommend reaching out as early as possible, ideally 3 months ahead of your planned date or term start, so we can build a bespoke outline and fit seamlessly into your timetable. However, we always try to accommodate tighter deadlines where schedule allows.

While some of our training caters to established choir directors, many of our CPD sessions are specifically designed for theatre makers, community workers, and educators who want to use group singing and musical theatre in their work, without having formal musical training. We teach accessible, intuitive, and oral-tradition techniques for leading groups with confidence.