Introducing eight new Samling Artists at a masterclass with Véronique Gens at Marchmont House

Samling Artist Programme masterclass at Marchmont House in 2024

On Saturday 2 August 2025, Samling Institute for Young Artists will be introducing eight new Samling Artists who have been taking part in a masterclass with French soprano Véronique Gens, pianist Susan Manoff, actor James Garnon and Samling Artist staff pianist Ian Tindale, culminating in a performance at Marchmont House in the Borders.

The eight Samling Artists are:

• Soprano Sarah Chae from South Korea who was a National Opera Studio 2022/23 Young Artist
• Anglo-Venezuelan soprano Sofia Kirwan Baez who trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and Royal College of Music
• Soprano Georgie Malcolm who has just graduated from the Opera Course at Guildhall School of Music and Drama
• Portuguese mezzo-soprano Claudia Ribas who won first prize at the ‘s-Hertogenbosch (IVC) International Vocal Competition in 2024
• Baritone Patrick Dow who made his debut at English National Opera last year 
• Bass-baritone Michael Ronan whose first experience of opera was through Samling while still at school. He went on to study at Royal College of Music and was a Jerwood Young Artist at Glyndebourne
• Pianist Alfred Fardell who is studying with Samling Artist James Baillieu and Anna Tilbrook at Royal Academy of Music
• Pianist Daniel Silcock who is on a Song Circle and Academy Voices fellowship at Royal Academy of Music and is a 2025 Britten Pears Young Artist.

Full details of the performance from the Marchmont House website.