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FaceNoise Studio   x  Choral Artist Programme

Perform. Produce. Lead.

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The FaceNoise Studio Choral Artists Programme is a year-long professional development scheme for early-career choral artists and musicians seeking to expand their place in the choral industry.

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Running from February 2027 to February 2028 in Sheffield, the programme equips Artists to perform, produce and lead vocal music at the frontier of choral practice — developing the craft, interpretation, creation and reflection needed to keep choral music relevant, original and alive.

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Applications open 

Who is it for?
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We are looking for early-career professionals and developing choral musicians who want to broaden their artistic scope.

You might be a singer, conductor, composer, arranger, educator, producer, ensemble musician, or someone working between these roles. You do not need to fit neatly into one category. This programme is for people who want to understand choral music not only as a skillset, but as an artistic language.

Why this programme?
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Many advanced musicians are trained to refine their craft: technique, musicianship, accuracy, style and discipline.

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These things matter. But on their own, they can become isolating — even soulless. The question is: who does the craft serve?

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FaceNoise Studio exists to help choral artists reconnect skill with purpose. Through lectures, seminars, rehearsals, concerts, workshops and masterclasses, Artists will explore what sits one, two or three degrees beyond traditional conservatoire or university training: leadership, communication, audience development, digital presentation, artistic identity, and the creation of new work.

What can I expect?
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As a FaceNoise Studio Choral Artist, you will take part in:

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  • A year-long development programme built around Leading, Performing and Producing

  • Professional experience performing in three concerts

  • Conducting and leadership training across youth, community, adult and professional settings

  • Workshops in ensemble singing, vocal effects, improvisation and tonal palette

  • Training in audiovisual capture and production

  • Sessions on programming, composing and arranging

  • Public lectures and seminars delivered by visiting experts and the Artists themselves

  • Mentoring and feedback towards a final published piece in the FaceNoise Studio Journal

  • A branded FaceNoise Studio journal pack, inspired by practical artist workbooks: Filofax, section dividers, note pages and branded pen/pencil

The Programme

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1. Leading

 

Develop the skills to lead singers in different contexts, from young people and community choirs to advanced amateur and professional ensembles.

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Areas covered:

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Children and Youth Choirs
Working with young voices, developing rehearsal strategies, building confidence, and understanding the relationship between musical excellence and pastoral care.

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Adults: from community choirs to professionals
Leading adult singers across ability levels, creating trust, managing rehearsal energy, and communicating artistic intention clearly.

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2. Performing

 

Artists will gain professional experience performing in three FaceNoise concerts.

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This strand explores choral singing from the inside: how singers listen, blend, lead, respond, improvise and work as one unit.

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Areas covered include:

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  • Ensemble skills

  • Vocal colour and tonal palette

  • Vocal effects

  • Improvisation

  • Working with new music

  • Singing as a collaborative artist, not just a performer

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3. Producing

 

Choral artists increasingly need to shape not only the live performance, but the wider artistic world around it.

This strand gives Artists practical tools to make, frame and share their work.

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Areas covered:

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Audiovisual capture and production

Learn how to document your own work and ensure the digital presentation matches your artistic vision.

 

Concert programming

Use repertoire choices to bring in new singers and audiences, and to keep live choral music culturally alive.

 

Composing

Use original material as an educational tool, a concert device, or a way of developing a distinct artistic voice.

 

Arranging

Shrink or expand voicings, adapt repertoire for different ensembles, and scrutinise the role of each voice part within the whole.

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Our Framework
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Every module is shaped by four artistic questions:

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Craft - What technical skills does this require?

Interpretation - What is the music trying to communicate?

Creation - What can I make, adapt or initiate from this?

Reflection - What have I learned, and how does it change my artistic practice?

Lecture Series and FaceNoise Studio Journal
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The programme includes a public lecture series delivered by visiting experts and FaceNoise Studio Artists.

Each Artist will choose an area of interest to develop across the year. This may begin as a lecture, grow into a seminar, and be refined through discussion and feedback.

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At the end of the programme, each Artist will publish a final piece in the FaceNoise Studio Journal. This could be an essay, diagram, report, reflection, creative manifesto, annotated score, interview, or another form that best communicates the idea.

Time commitment
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The programme runs from February 2027 to February 2028.

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Activity will include a mixture of:

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  • In-person workshops and rehearsals in Sheffield

  • Concert projects

  • Public lectures and seminars

  • Masterclasses

  • Independent reflection and journal development

 

Full dates will be confirmed before applications open.

Who can apply?
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Applicants should be:

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  • Early-career professionals, or musicians seeking development in the choral industry

  • Interested in choral music as an artistic, social and communicative practice

  • Open to working across leading, performing and producing

  • Able to attend activity in Sheffield

  • Curious, reflective and willing to contribute to a developing artistic community

 

We welcome artists from classical, contemporary, community, educational, experimental and interdisciplinary backgrounds.

How to apply
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Applications will open in Summer 2026.

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You will be asked to submit:

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  • A short application form

  • A statement about your artistic interests

  • Evidence of your current practice, such as performance footage, conducting footage, writing, compositions, arrangements, recordings, teaching examples or project documentation

  • Your preferred area of enquiry for the FaceNoise Studio Journal

 

Shortlisted applicants may be invited to an interview, workshop or informal practical session.

Questions?
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For questions about the programme, access needs or application support, please contact:

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info@facenoise.org

FaceNoise Studio

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