Singer moves

News of two singers taking on significant other roles, with tenor Nicky Spence joining Help Musicians as an Ambassador and mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill being appointed Head of Vocal Performance at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Tenor Nicky Spence, who memorably sang Florestan's Act II scene from Beethoven's Fidelio at last night's BBC Prom and during 2021/22 will be taking on the roles of Siegmund in Wagner's The Valkyrie at English National Opera and Samson in Saint-Saens' Samson et Dalila at Covent Garden, is becoming one of Help Musicians' ambassadors.

Help Musicians (founded in 1930 as the Musicians' Benevolent Fund) offers a broad range of help to support music creators in times of crisis and opportunity - ensuring musicians across the UK can achieve their creative potential and sustain a career in music. Nicky Spence's long relationship with the charity began when Help Musicians supported him to study at Guildhall School of Music & Drama and The National Opera Studio at the start of his career. He has since gone on to raise over £25,000 as part of a Glasgow to London charity bike ride and be an active advocate for the breadth of work the charity does to support musicians. Further information at the Help Musicians' website.

Mezzo-soprano Karen Cargill is currently Brangäne singing in Wagner's Tristan und Isolde at Glyndebourne. She will take up the post of Head of Vocal Performance at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in September 2021 following the completion of performances at Glyndebourne. In the role she will be leading the training of the next generation of singers at the conservatoire. 

Karen Cargill commented, "Coming to study at the Conservatoire (then the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama) at 17 was life-changing for me, a world of possibility opened and my creative process began. One of the joys for me will be sharing the excitement of these young singers embarking on their own path to professional life.

My own journey from Arbroath to the international stage was created and honed during my time at the RCS, so it is fitting that I return at this stage in my career to give something back to the place that saw my potential."

Further information from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's website.