VOCADEMY
VOCAL & PERFORMANCE TRAINING
07368 631715
About VOCADEMY
VOCADEMY offers singing, piano and music theory tuition with an emphasis on technique, performance skill, confidence building and artist development. Learn how to sing and play at a professional level with our simple technique training and mental triggers, keeping everything easy to understand and super effective!
We offer 1-1 SINGING & PIANO lessons for adults and children 7+. IN-PERSON sessions are available with Tutors in Maidstone, Kent and our ONLINE lessons and resources make Vocademy's training available wherever you are in the world 🌍🎶 Lessons are tailored to each individual student to help you efficiently achieve your goals, online resources in our "Student Extra's" to help and encourage practice and regular gigs, open mics, showcases and LIVE online sessions to give you the experience needed to perfect your performance skills and trust your voice!
Meet Our Tutors
Principal Dani Baker
Company Director & Principal Vocal Coach
Dani started vocal training at age 11 studying Classical and Musical Theatre and throughout her teen's performed at various events, took part in competitions and studied for graded vocals exams, gaining Grade 8 ABRSM. At 18 Dani began performing at weddings and corporate events, performing everything through Pop, Rock, Swing & Motown and learning the world of professional musicianship. Dani is also certified in Level 1 & 2 of the Estill voice model.
With experience in a range of genres, 2016 brought the opportunity to explore a new direction as Dani joined Reggae/Rocksteady band The Scorchers. Having always loved Reggae, Dani fronted the band for over 3 years, releasing original material and performing at venues, events and festivals across the South East.
Dani now fronts Swing/Jive band Betty Baker & The Swingtones, enjoys playing piano, guitar and ukulele and continues to study and explore the voice.
Then of course, there's Vocademy...
Dani started teaching 1-1s and classes for Vocademy in 2013, soon the Maidstone branch started growing and in 2015 the Director at the time offered Dani a pilot franchise. Dani poured her passion for singing, music, performance and teaching into the school and in 2016 was handed the reigns and became Director and Principal Tutor of what is now VOCADEMY - Vocal Tuition & Artist Development.
Phoebe Brooks
Vocal Coach
Phoebe is a 22 year old professional, freelance vocalist who has grown her music career aplenty with various skills and experience from different avenues of the industry performing under her stage name "April Rose". She is eager to impart the love of music as well as the history, vocal techniques and performance expertise onto her students.
Starting at the young age of eight, she joined a choir, which gave her the opportunities to perform in renowned venues such as The Palladium, The O2 and whilst also being given the chance to be a soloist at the Royal Albert Hall and in various other performances across London and New York City.
Since her younger years, her passion for music has grown into something more than just a hobby; she began gigging professionally at fifteen, where she developed excellent live performance skills that led her to become the front-woman of the versatile function band, Studio 33, aged just 17.
Whilst managing her own band, she also established a duo called “Strings & Roses”, with her guitarist, to gain further experience in the field of live performances and functions. Alongside her successful function work, she has also become a session vocalist, recording demos for songwriters alongside performing backing vocals for a variety of artists.
In 2020 Phoebe graduated with a First Class honours in Music Performance from the Academy of Contemporary Music, and has received her Grade 8 RSL Vocals qualification.
Lauren Wingrove
Vocal Coach / Vocademy Manager
Lauren has been training with our Principal Coach Dani Baker for over 7 years and began Vocademy Coach Training in 2019. Lauren has been performing for over 7 years and continues to work establishing herself as a versatile professional vocalist.
Lauren has been teaching beginner to intermediate students for 3 years and is currently continuing her Vocal Coach training with Dani having obtained a Distinction in her RSL Grade 8 Vocal Exam and continues to work with more advanced students whilst preparing for further certifications.
Lauren is also the Manager here at Vocademy, working alongside Dani in the day-to-day running of the business - organising enquiries, planning events, running social media and much more. Laurens a key part of our team!
Sophie Earl
Vocal Coach
Sophie’s passion and knowledge for performing and Musical Directing started as a child, she started composing and arranging from the age of 14, writing two musicals by the age of 16.
She has gigged around Kent and London since she was 16. Sophie trained in Musical Theatre at Chichester Conservatoire where she played Flora in Flora the Red Menace and Sidesaddle in Soho Cinders - during her three years training Sophie musically directed/assisted on 5 shows.
Straight after graduating and being signed to a leading West End Agency - Sophie got her first professional job acting and singing in three shows as part of a summer season including the role of Sally in Oliver Award Winning comedy ‘Cleo, Camping, Emmanuelle and Dick’ and an actor musician in the musical Tom Foolery.
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Lilly Tether
Vocal Coach
Lilly started dancing at the age of 5 which is where her passion for musical theatre began. She auditioned for her local theatre school when she was 11 years old and played the lead in Annie, so she began vocal training. From this moment on, she knew she wanted to perform for a living.
Lilly has recently graduated from D&B Academy of Performing Arts, and signed with an agent. As a fresh graduate, Lilly is in and out of West End audition rooms and has first hand experience of the audition industry and what casting directors are looking for.
She has experience teaching at D&B Academy of performing arts, and of the students she has enrolled for exams in musical theatre and pop recital, they all received distinctions! She is passionate about what she does and loves to spread her knowledge and enthusiasm for singing and performing.
Emma Sackett
Trainee Vocal Coach
Emma had been taking 1-1 lessons with Dani (Vocademy Principal Tutor) for 3 years when she moved over to start tutor training.
Emma had great understanding of the voice from the 3 years training, combine this with her previous background (medical degree) and Emma progressed quickly in the study of vocal anatomy, production of phonation and music theory.
Now 18 months in Emma is certified with Grade 8 Distinction and is coaching beginner-intermediate level students whilst continuing her tutor training.
Joana Mendes
Trainee Vocal Coach
Joana started at Vocademy taking lessons with Principal Dani and had not only shown incredible passion, interest and ability in her vocals but Joana also had a keen interest in learning the ins and outs of the voice, how to self teach as well as the theory that comes with having professional musicianship skills.
Overtime Dani saw all the traits of an amazing Vocademy Trainee Vocal Coach and so offered the opportunity to Joana. Joana has been studying through our Vocal Coach Training Programme for the last 6 months, is currently preparing for her Grade 8 Vocals Exam and will soon be taking on her first group of beginner level students. Joana is based in Peterborough and will be our first coach to teach for Vocademy outside of Kent, so exciting!
Tura Paice
Piano Tutor
Tura is an enthusiastic contemporary piano tutor who also specialises in composition and music theory. She has a first class Degree in Commercial Music Performance as well as Level 3 BTEC extended diploma in music with the grade Distinction, Distinction, Merit.
Outside of this, Tura composes for piano, voice and orchestra and has played numerous gigs as a singer/songwriter over the past six years. She also writes musical theatre productions and her original, contemporary ballet, ‘Cold White Marble,’ is due to open in September 2020.
Tura is incredibly passionate and excited about teaching and strongly believes that learning music should always be an enjoyable experience; tailoring lessons to suit individual goals. She can also offer guidance with composition and theory if interested.
Kevin Earl
Piano Tutor
Kevin has a vast array of experience in performance, recording, and teaching across the music spectrum. Having trained at The Royal Northern College Of Music Kevin developed a love for arranging and performance and soon after became a well-known face on the cabaret and gig circuits both in the UK and abroad.
Working for Sony Europe and Virgin, Kevin worked steadily through the 80’s and 90’s and was part of the house band on Channel 4’s The Tube.
Between contracts Kevin showed a passion for teaching and was part of the inaugural team for Yamaha Music School which used methods of teaching taken from Suzuki and Yamaha’s Children’s Foundation.
For the last 20 years I have been a Head of Music in state schools teaching KS3,4 and 5.
Zoë Lander
Piano Tutor
Zoë is a passionate and supportive piano tutor, singer/songwriter and secondary school Music teacher.
Zoë began training as a singer from a young age, performing in local venues in her hometown Aberdeen. She accompanied herself on piano playing popular covers and original music, whilst also learning classical piano and sitting ABRSM exams.
Zoë graduated with a First-Class Honours Degree in Popular Music in 2016 and performed regularly in pubs, restaurants, festivals, and notable venues such as The Lemon Tree. She released an EP of original work titled ‘Voices’ onto digital platforms and promoted her EP by releasing several music videos and touring across Scotland.
Since graduating, Zoë has worked as a piano tutor for music schools such as the Rhythm Box and The Edinburgh School of Music. Zoë completed her Post Graduate Diploma in education in 2020 and has been teaching Music in secondary schools ever since. In September 2021, Zoë moved to Kent and now works at a local Grammar school, tutors piano students from home, and is enjoying her new role as a first-time mum!
