Talent scouts for the forthcoming series of The Voice UK visited Kendal College yesterday (Thursday) to hold exclusive auditions for current and past students and staff.
Held at The Venue - a purpose built studio space in the Allen Building and part of the Creative Arts & Media Campus, around 40 students and staff took part in a bid to be part of the 2017 series.
Kendal College was specially selected to hold the auditions after The Voice earmarked the College for its performing credentials.
Geoff Orr, Lecturer in Music at Kendal College, said: “This has been a brilliant opportunity for our students, both past and present, to showcase their singing talents and get some professional feedback. Over the last 20 years, the Music department at the College has developed an excellent reputation for producing top performing students with many going on to study at higher level at specialist perfomance and stage schools around the country.
“There is so much talent in Cumbria and its important to us that this is recognised nationally. For a show like The Voice, which attracts more than six million viewers each week, to recognise our credentials and exclusively seek out the College to hold its auditions, is a real coup for us. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed that some of our very talented students make it onto our TV screens next year.”
Emily Hill, 21 from Ambleside and John Soderberg, 17 from Ingleton were just two of the students to take part in the auditions. Emily left Kendal College three years ago after studying music and has recorded her own songs. She said: “I do miss College and the atmosphere but I’m still in touch with the tutors who told me about the auditions. My initial reaction was excitement mixed with panic when deciding what to sing before choosing ‘Fire Away’ by Chris Stapleton – a CMA winning country singer.”
John is a Level 3 Music student at the College and auditioned with his own version of ‘My Girl’ by The Temptations. His dream is to be a professional lead singer in a band. He said: “I was excited about the audition because I’m a big fan of the show and like its format. The atmosphere amongst everyone auditioning was quite tense as we all know it’s a big thing to be involved with and could lead to great opportunities.”
The Voice is currently in its fifth series and music coaches for the show are Black Eyed Peas singer and producer, will.i.am, Kaiser Chiefs frontman, Ricky Wilson, solo artist, Paloma Faith, and Culture Club frontman and solo artist, Boy George.
The music facilities at Kendal College are fully equipped to professional, industry standards and recognised as one of the best resourced sound recording teaching centres in the UK.
Producers were also in Lancaster last night, working with local talent scout Jamie Walker, of the Lancaster/Kendal based band The Feud.
More information on the forthcoming series of The Voice is here.