A County Durham musician is literally teaching the world to sing via the internet and she’s recently met up with her transatlantic pupil in Newcastle.
Singing teacher Hannah Wiggins from Sunnybrow is known as the SinginHinn. She is an established artist in her own right and delivers a wide musical repertoire including jazz standards, folk ballads, music hall songs, pop and rock classics and musical theatre numbers.
She began her musical career at the age of nine and entered her first singing competition a year later at just 10 years old. Since then she has been in many choirs and bands and musical groups including a folk ensemble and she has also performed within the musical theatre and pop genres.
Her love of music prompted her to inspire and teach others to sing and three years ago she met a visiting academic from the USA who was researching regeneration initiatives on a fellowship at Durham University.
Dr. Patrick H. Harman from North Carolina is an expert in community development, philanthropy and social change and he also has a passion for singing. During his time in Durham, he relied on public transport to get him around the region but the journey to Sunnybrow for his singing lesson was long and difficult, particularly over the winter months.
Hannah found the ideal solution by carrying out lessons via the internet using Facetime. Once Dr Harman’s time in England came to an end he decided to continue his lessons despite being many thousands of miles away.
“We find a time of day which suits both of us, usually about midday USA time which is late evening UK time, or occasionally first thing in the morning for him and midday for us “said Hannah.
“The lessons involve me sitting at my desk wearing headphones and Patrick calls at the time arranged. We share a virtual online folder of exercises which he plays and I listen to his voice and make comments on how to improve specific aspects, better his technique or achieve a higher range.”
Hannah’s online singing lessons have a specific focus around elements such as breathing control, scales, voice control etc. After warm up exercises and the exercises, Patrick gets to sing songs of his choice putting into practice the things he has learned during the lesson.
Although their long-distance singing lessons would tend to favour songs such as Dire Straits “So Far Away” or Bette Midler’s “From a Distance,” Patrick prefers to sing tunes by John Hiatt, Rival Sons, JJ Grey & Mofrowith Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley being his particular favourite.
Patrick added: “As far as wanting singing lessons, it was really my wife Susan who was tired of hearing me complain about my singing. I’ve always enjoyed singing but never seemed to get any better.
“The reason I still take singing lessons is that I enjoy them and I now feel that I am a lot better than I was. They also help me to understand my voice and the mechanics of it. I do a bit of public speaking and I think the lessons have helped me with that. My life goal is to retire and do pub gigs where people say to themselves, “he sings alright, doesn’t he?”
Patrick and Hannah met up in Newcastle recently when he carried out a lecture in the city’s Lit and Phil.
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Photo shows: Hannah and Patrick at the Lit and Phil Newcastle. (Highlights PR)
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