emma tring - she/her

I'm a Soprano based in South London where I live with my violinist husband Robin and two sons Sid and Arthur.

I began singing lessons aged 15 after my piano teacher heard me belting out show tunes on the school stage! I couldn't join the local choir school because I wasn't a boy, but my singing teacher invited me to join his church choir and youth choir and so my love for choral singing began!

I was given a place in the World Youth Choir aged 18 and toured to Taiwan, Philippines, Venezuela, Florida and around Europe. I was one of only a few Brits and it was amazing to be singing with people from all over the world!

I spent 3 years at Bristol uni getting my music degree and having some fun, I sang in the Bristol University Singers (where I met Robin) and played in the orchestra, and although I was a keen cellist I knew that singing was my path. I auditioned for music colleges in London and was accepted at GSMD where I got my Masters in Music performance.

After that I did various jobs so that I could continue my vocal studies privately. I worked as a cleaner and a shop assistant while I built up my singing teaching and slowly the  professional singing work started to come in. One of my first professional singing jobs was doing a tour of Bizet's Carmen around five-star hotels in Thailand!!

After some time living in South America where my husband had a job as a violinist, we returned to the UK and I was offered a full time position as a BBC Singer, I've been there ever since!

I've built up my career as a soloist and ensemble singer in the UK and abroad and am really excited to be welcomed as a member of Vox Urbane.

The concept of a choral group which focuses on diversity really appeals to me. Having lived in South London for 20 years I'm so aware of the amazing diversity of people and cultures in this country but am saddened that this doesn't seem to be reflected in our classical music culture. I feel that the system is broken as we're not educating our children equally.

I think the mentoring scheme Vox Next Gen is a great opportunity to help train singers who may not yet have the specific skills we need in the choral music profession, and I am excited to share these skills and to share my love of choral singing!

Exciting times ahead!